Sheriff Appeals for Community Support Against Rapist Release Near Girl Scout Camp

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The Santa Cruz County Sheriff, Chris Clark, has called on residents to voice their concerns over plans to release a violent rapist near a Girl Scout camp. The sheriff is urging the community to submit written comments ahead of an Oct. 30 court hearing for Michael Cheek, who has a history of heinous crimes.

Community Concerns About Placement

Clark expressed worries about Cheek’s proposed placement at a residence in the Santa Cruz Mountains due to the remote terrain, limited road access, unreliable cell service, and GPS, as well as the proximity to schools, a Girl Scout camp, a church, a public park, and family neighborhoods. Clark emphasized the need for the community to be informed and for every voice to be heard.

Clark previously discussed Cheek’s proposed placement in a Sept. 23 press release. He stated, ‘As sheriff, I have a responsibility to inform our community and the Court when a proposed placement raises foreseeable public safety concerns.’ Clark also noted that the victims of Cheek’s crimes should not have to carry the risk of his placement.

Conviction and Past Escapes

Cheek was convicted of kidnapping, rape, and forcible oral copulation in 1980 and was sentenced to jail. He escaped from jail and then raped a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint, for which he received additional time in prison. The district attorney’s office declared him a sexually violent predator in 1997 under the Sexually Violent Predator Act.

Cheek completed a sex offender program and was moved to a psychiatric hospital in 2019. He was deemed fit for conditional release that year, and a judge ordered his release. In 2024, Liberty Healthcare of California, Inc., and the Department of State Hospitals proposed Cheek be released to a residence in Aptos, but both the district attorney’s office and local residents opposed the measure.

Previous Failed Placement Attempts

In 2021, proposed placements to house Cheek in Bonny Doon and Redwood City also failed. A Redwood City resident expressed frustration, stating, ‘His crimes are heinous, absolutely heinous; why would someone like that get to leave prison?’ The sheriff’s call for community input highlights the ongoing tension and public safety concerns surrounding Cheek’s potential release.

Source: Daily Caller

Written by

Connor Davis