Gary Wayne Hobart, a Level III high-risk sexual offender has moved into the Peshastin community and is residing at 10144 Main Street. Hobart, formally a homeless person from Wenatchee was convicted of two counts of child molestation in the second degree in Chelan County in 1998. He was released from the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in Connell Sept. 11, 2002. He also has a prior conviction for rape in the third degree in Grant County in 1995. His victims have been males ages 7 to 13 years old, according to a Chelan County Sheriff's Office press release dated April 17.
Although Level III offenders are the most likely to re-offend, Deputy Manny Brincat, with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, said because Hobart served his sentence and has been back in mainstream society for 10 years, he is free to live where he wants.
"Sexual offenders are usually under the supervision of the Department of Corrections for three years," he said. "Once they are off supervision, unfortunately no one can tell them where to live...so it was his (Hobart) choice to relocate...he lived in Wenatchee for a long time."
It may not be much solace for parents in Peshastin, but Brincat said Hobart still has a no contact order in place that does not allow him to be around children, and that when he lived in Wenatchee, Hobart stayed in constant contact with authorities.
"He'd check in once a week," he said.
Brincat said monitoring more than 300 Level I, II, and III offenders living in Chelan County is a difficult task at best for the Sheriff's Office to perform with a limited staff, but said things could change for the better soon.
"I anticipate being able to track down offenders who don't comply on a full-time basis soon, he said.
Additional information on high-risk sex offenders in Chelan County can be obtained by accessing the Chelan County Sheriff's Office Web site at www.co.chelan.wa.us/so/so23.htm or by calling Administrative Specialist Kathy Martin at 509-667-6855.
Bob Kirkpatrick can be reached at 548-5286 or bobk@leavenworthecho.com.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here