Lancaster residents outraged over convicted child rapist possibly relocating to their community
LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A judge is deciding on whether a convicted child rapist will be allowed to live in Lancaster, a potential move that is sparking outrage from residents who don't want another sexual predator to be shipped out to their community.
An Orange County judge held a hearing Friday to decide whether Lancaster should be the home for Lawtis Rhoden. Rhoden has multiple sexual assault convictions in Orange and Los Angeles counties dating back to the mid-80s.
Lately, a number of violent sexual predators have been relocated to the Antelope Valley.
"The A.V. is flat fed up with it and they need to stop it. They need to keep that stuff down below where the crimes are happening," Lancaster resident Donna Jay-Giguere told Eyewitness News.
"I'm just tired of them always trying to use everything as a dumping ground especially where there's a lot of minorities at," said Dash Charles, another Lancaster resident.
The house Rhoden could call home is located at the northern most tip of east Lancaster in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Despite a constant drum beat of protests from residents, violent sexual predator Calvin Grassmier was housed in the High Desert community of Sun Village recently, which is east of Palmdale near the city of Littlerock.
Several years ago the courts placed violent sexual predator Christopher Hubbart, the so-called "Pillowcase Rapist," in the neighboring community of Lake Los Angeles.
"I just finished speaking at today's court hearing that will decide where Sexually Violent Predator Lawtis Rhoden will reside. The AV is NOT a dumping ground," tweeted L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the area. "We must protect families in our #AntelopeValley communities."
