East County News Service
Update Feb. 4, 2025 -- Supervisor Joel Anderson has launched a petition to oppose Snavely's placement in Julian. You can sign his petition here.
February 1, 2025 (Julian, CA) – San Diego County Superior Court has ordered the conditional release of Gary Snavely, a sexually violent predator (SVP) at 3452 Wynola Road in Julian. The public can submit comments from Feb. 3 through Feb. 16; hearing set for March 7.
Snavely was convicted of molesting two girls ages 8 and 9 in Orange County back in 1987. In 1996 he was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in San Diego County and went back to prison. After his release, he was placed in Jacumba in 2008 but after he abused his psychotropic medication and lied to his supervising staff he went back to Coalinga state hospital, though he was not accused of committing new crimes. Violations included failing to remain appropriately clothed at all times on his property while in public view, and failing to report any and all instances of sexual thoughts and fantasies involving sexual deviance to treatment staff.
Supervisor Bill Horn has called Snavely “the worst of the worst” adding, “No child or family should be forced to live in fear with Snavely as their neighbor,” back when Snavely was proposed for release in Borrego Springs, before the state withdrew that application and instead placed Snavely in Jacumba Hot Springs.
How to submit comments via email, phone, or at hearing
The SAFE Task Force will be accepting public comments about the proposed placement to be included in the formal response to the court and the Department of State Hospitals. Comments will be accepted between the dates of February 3, 2025 and February 16, 2025.
You can e-mail your comments regarding placement to: sdsafe@sdsheriff.org. You can also call (858) 583-7238. You can mail your comments to:
SVP/Release/SAFE Task Force
9425 Chesapeake Drive
San Diego, CA 92123
Oral comments may be accepted subject to court ruling during a hearing on:
March 7, 2025
9:00 a.m.
Honorable Jeffrey F. Fraser
San Diego Superior Court
Department 2002
1100 Union Street
San Diego, CA 92101
More information
For more information about the legal designation, treatment and release from confined facilities of sexually violent predators, visit the San Diego County District Attorney's website. You can also visit the Department of State Hospital's website.
To learn more about the SAFE Task Force, click here.
View ECM’s previous articles about Snavely here.
East County News Service
January 31, 2025 – Annette Smith, 58, of El Cajon has been arrested on suspicion of mailing a narcotic-laced greeting card into a San Diego County Jail.
In December 2024, deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Mail Processing Center intercepted a greeting card intended for Alicia Abungan, 52, who is in custody at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee. While inspecting the card, deputies noticed it had the appearance of being soaked in narcotics.
The Sheriff's Detention Investigations Unit began a criminal investigation, which identified Smith as responsible for mailing the greeting card containing narcotics.
On January 29, Sheriff's DIU Detectives along with deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff's Substation's Crime Suppression Team and Santee Sheriff's Station's Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Team served a search warrant at Smith's home in El Cajon.
“During the search, detectives found evidence related to the mail case and 35.67 grams of methamphetamine,”says Sergeant Aaron Brown.
Smith was arrested on numerous charges, including sending a controlled substance into jail. This is a felony charge with a penalty of up to six years in custody.
By Miriam Raftery
January 31, 2025 (San Diego) -- A two-count indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores with violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse. Flores is accused of using excessive force that caused a spinal cord injury, then writing a false report to cover up his illegal actions.
He is charged with depriving the individual – identified in the indictment as 57-year-old J.P. – of his right to due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and of falsifying a record in a federal investigation. If convicted on both counts, he could face up to 30 years in prison and be fined up to $500,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Flores was assigned to the San Diego Central Courthouse on August 29, 2024, and was escorting J.P. to a holding cell after a court hearing. J.P.’s legs were chained and his hands were cross-chained to his waist.
The indictment alleges that Flores Flores forcefully shoved J.P. into the cell from behind with both hands, causing J.P. to smash into the bench and walls and collapse to the ground. Flores failed to immediately report the incident to his supervisor or prepare an official report, both of which are violations of the San Diego Sheriff’s Office’s Use of Force Policy.
According to the indictment, another deputy found J.P. over two hours later lying in the same position in his holding cell with a head wound and a pool of blood on the floor. As a result of Flores’ actions,
J.P. suffered a spinal injury for which he underwent surgery and remained hospitalized for months.
The indictment said that more than an hour after J.P. was discovered in his holding cell, Flores falsely claimed in an incident report that “no force was used” in placing J.P. into the cell.
“The vast majority of law enforcement personnel are dedicated public servants committed to following the rule of law and protecting our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But when a choice is made to cross the line and violate someone’s civil rights, this office will stand on behalf of the victim, and all those who wear the badge with honor, to uphold the public’s trust.”
Sheriff Kelly Martinez issued this statement: "The actions described in this case are unacceptable. Immediately upon hearing of the incident, an investigation was initiated, and Deputy Flores was placed on administrative assignment. The investigation led us to believe criminal actions occurred, and we presented the case to state and federal authorities. Deputy Flores has been with the Sheriff's Office since November of 2021 and has been a Deputy Sheriff since February of 2023.”
She adds, ”As the Sheriff, I will continue working to ensure a culture does not exist where deputies believe this behavior is tolerated. I hold our value of compassion as core to who we are, and there is no excuse for any deputy to use excessive force. Particularly in the case of someone who is vulnerable due to the circumstances of being in custody. Any Sheriff's employee who violates the law or policy will be held accountable."
“Law enforcement officers work tirelessly every day to protect the public, always striving to be professional, honest, and ethical,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The alleged action of the defendant not only violates the oath he swore as a law enforcement officer to protect and serve, but also erodes citizen confidence and trust in our profession.”
Flores made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Leshner. He entered pleas of not guilty to both charges and was released on a $25,000 personal appearance bond with special conditions that he surrender his passport and his personally owned firearms. The next scheduled court appearance is a motion hearing and trial setting before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez on March 10, 2025, at 2 p.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins.
To read the news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, click here.
By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
Photo: Herman Smith, San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.
January 27, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs) - A man classified as a sexually violent predator — or SVP — will be conditionally released to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs, likely displacing another SVP who was placed in that same home two months ago.
Herman Smith, 78, who was convicted and sentenced to prison for crimes that include forcible rape, was originally ordered released from Coalinga State Hospital to a home at 42920 Desert Rose Ranch Rd. through the conditional release program for sexually violent predators.
Smith and other SVPs are people convicted of sexually violent offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes a person likely to re-offend.
After serving their prison sentences, SVPs can undergo treatment at state hospitals, but may also petition courts to continue treatment in outpatient locations, where they are monitored and must abide by stringent conditions.
Smith was returned to Coalinga State Hospital after state hospital officials and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office requested that his conditional release be revoked.
While Smith’s revocation proceedings were ongoing, another SVP — Merle Wade Wakefield — was placed in the Desert Rose Ranch Road home on a temporary basis as officials continue searching for a permanent placement location for Wakefield.
The requests to revoke Smith’s outpatient release were rejected last week by San Diego Superior Court Judge Howard Shore. The revocation hearing was closed to the public, and both the reasons behind the revocation requests and Shore’s reasoning for rejecting them have not been publicly disclosed.
Smith is expected to be moved back to the Jacumba address within the next 30 days.
Wakefield, who was convicted of lewd acts on a child in 1981 and rape by means of force, violence or fear in 1990, was ordered released in November on “transient status,” meaning any locations he is housed in will be temporary. Liberty Healthcare, which is contracted by the state to operate the conditional release program for sexually violent predators, was ordered by a judge to continue searching for a permanent address to house Wakefield.
In November, San Diego Superior Court Judge Yvonne Campos said nearly 7,000 properties have been evaluated for Wakefield’s potential housing, but no suitable permanent address was available. Three separate fixed housing recommendations were proposed for Wakefield in Poway, Mount Helix and Borrego Springs, but each location was either rejected by a judge or rescinded by state hospital officials.
It is uncertain where Wakefield might be placed now, but Campos ordered that absent a residence like the Jacumba Hot Springs home, Wakefield was to be moved into an recreational vehicle purchased by Liberty Healthcare. The judge also ordered that while on transient release, he will be monitored via GPS, as well as security guards or law enforcement on a 24/7, round-the- clock basis.
East County News Service
File photo by Miriam Raftery
December 10, 2024 (Valley Center) — A bomb threat from an anonymous caller yesterday morning prompted a safety sweep at Harrah’s Resort Southern California on the Rincon tribe’s reservation in Valley Center. Resort staff found a backpack in an unauthorized area.
After clearing that portion of the facility, a joint incident command was established with the Valley Center Sheriff's Substation, Rincon Fire Department, Rincon Gaming Commission, Rincon Tribe, Harrah's Security personnel, Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Unit and Sheriff's Explosives Detection K-9s.
“The backpack was eventually checked but did not contain anything suspicious,” says Sergeant Brendan Cook with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Valley Center substation.
Sheriff's Explosive Detection K-9s checked the rest of the resort to ensure the safety of guests. The resort was not evacuated. No additional suspicious items were locatedand no injuries were reported during the incident.
If you have any information related to this incident, call the San Diego County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at (858) 868-3200.