July 19, 2023 - Placer County Sheriff's Office officials report that the Sheriff’s Office is extremely troubled to learn that on July 17th, a Placer County Judge ruled to have William Stephenson, a convicted sexually violent predator, released as a transient into the streets of Placer County.
- Stephenson was first convicted of 314.1 PC (indecent exposure) in 1985 in Sacramento County.
- In 1986, he was again convicted of indecent exposure and 243.4 PC (assault and sexual battery) in Sacramento County.
- That same year, Stephenson was convicted of four counts of indecent exposure in Contra Costa County.
- In 1991, Stephenson was convicted of 289(a)(1)(A) PC (sexual penetration by force or fear), two counts of 220 PC (assault with intent to commit rape), and 288a (c)(2) (oral copulation by force or violence) in El Dorado County.
Stephenson served 26 years in state prison for violent sex crimes (five additional years within the sexually violent predator program) and was released in 2014. Just three years later, Stephenson was arrested again after he was found in possession of child pornography. Liberty Healthcare, a private company tasked by the Department of State Hospitals to search for housing for Stephenson, provided its testimony before the presiding Judge of the historical lack of success with transient release.
“As the Sheriff of Placer County, my duty is to protect and serve the community. William Stephenson is not someone we can trust to be living freely amongst the public. His criminal history is highly concerning and I believe he poses a great threat to our community. I vehemently oppose Stephenson’s release and I want to reassure the community we will continue to exercise utmost caution and vigilance as we closely monitor Stephenson if he is released. The safety of our community is our top priority. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to strongly oppose Stephenson’s release. We encourage our community to take a stand with us — your voices matter. Let us stand united in advocating for the safety and well-being of our community. Together, we can make a difference and help shape a just outcome,” responded Sheriff Wayne Woo.
Stephenson’s hearing is open to the public and will take place on September 1st at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4, in Auburn.
Source & photo: Placer County Sheriff's Office
