By Dani Gruber, special to Mountain Valley News
Exactly two weeks after the City of Delta Police Department had a community meeting regarding the sexually violent predator Leonires Ruben Duran moving into town, the Sheriff's Department was faced with doing a sequel. On April 29, 2010, Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee brought a new cast of professionals armed to answer more community questions about Duran.
The most obvious question was why Duran was moving so soon from within the City of Delta limits to outside the city limits. According to McKee, Duran allegedly had a female friend rent the home and then sublet the home to him. The fact that Duran intended to live in the home was apparently unknown to the landlord. When word of the community meeting hosted by the DPD spread, the landlord allegedly forced Duran to move. Duran's new residence is located at 15057 Deer Run Road, in unincorporated Delta County. The move required a duplicate community meeting, warnings, and neighborhood notices.
In contrast to the City of Delta Police Department community meeting which drew an audience of approximately 150, this second meeting drew approximately 50. Prominent on the minds of those attending was why Duran was being released so soon; why his intensive surveillance would end in December, 2010; and why, in two weeks, he had changed his address, his hair color and his vehicle, and if these changes were a legitimate cause of concern.
Questions regarding who he was living with, why that person had rented the first place in her name and not his, and what the status was on threats Duran had allegedly made in October were not answered at the meeting.
In answer to the question of his living arrangements changing so soon, Colorado Department of Parole Officer John Orey said, “I've heard speculation that there was a lease problem with the lady who rented to him. I don't like it any better than anyone else. That's why he moved. I'd rather have him where we can track him than living under a bridge.”
A question of why Duran was being released so soon and why such predators can live virtually anywhere was explained by McKee. “Proximity laws don't work very well. We don't have to befriend them, but we need to be supportive enough that they will keep on registering. That way we have some idea where they are at. As much as we'd like to, we cannot lock them up forever. We need to keep them where we can manage them. That way, we have some element of safety for our citizens,” said McKee.
“Any citizen who uses this information to harass, threaten, or intimidate will be subject to criminal prosecution,” stressed McKee.
Orey agreed. “It's just not worth it,” he said.
McKee urged people who were unhappy with the laws as they are written to contact their state legislators. McKee said the cost of incarceration is so high that for tax payers, the best remedy is for these people to be supervised outside of jail to the best extent possible.
One question asked by the audience was how much having an SVP living in a neighborhood affected real estate values. “Well, the one good thing is that these folks move pretty often,” said McKee, who admitted he did not know. “Hopefully, your real estate agent doesn't list that in your listing,” he said, chuckling.
When asked how expensive holding such meetings cost, McKee said he did not know, but that it was expensive. “Most everyone here is here after their usual hours of work. We brought in a couple extra guys. I don't have a dollar figure, but it is fairly expensive. If they move around a lot, they ought to foot the bill. Come up with $500 and talk to your parole officer,” posed McKee.
“They have no money,” said Orey.
“(In the Duran case) He was forced to move,” said McKee. “It wasn't his choice.”
The costs do bring up an interesting angle, however. The City of Delta had their full force present at the meeting, along with the costs of bringing in experts for their panel to answer questions. It is an expensive crime to the victim, to the community, to the tax payers, and to the convicted offenders, many of whom are released back into the communities where they were originally caught.
In Duran's case, the question of why his parole was revoked was presented. “He got sent back because he had contact with a child under the age of 18. If it was anything criminal, he'd have been sent back to prison on a new crime,” said Orey.
For those wishing to be notified if Duran moves again, they should contact the Delta County Sheriff's office at 874-2015.
