Turlock mother advocates for bill to tighten laws against sex offenders

SACRAMENTO – A Turlock mother who lives next to a proposed residential home for two sex offenders told the State Assembly Public Safety Committee Tuesday that her life has been “turned upside down” since she learned of the offenders’ possible housing.

Wearing a purple floral romper and black cardigan, the petite mother of three spoke passionately for two and a half minutes to urge lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 1074, which aims to strengthen existing SVP laws.

“I ask all of you to put yourselves in my shoes for a moment,” Erica Farmer told lawmakers. “Imagine having to tell your children that they can no longer play outside because sexually violent predators can watch them from their homes. Imagine having to explain to your child that they can never have another birthday party at home because no one will come when you know full well that a child molester lives next door.”

Convicted child molesters Kevin Scott Gray, 72, and Timothy Roger Weathers, 61, are being held by the Department of State Hospitals in Coalinga for crimes they committed more than 30 years ago. They are scheduled to be released to a residence on North Central Avenue, just west of the Turlock city limits.

Stanislaus County prosecutors were in court Tuesday to argue against the commitment and will be back in court on July 22 to reopen the case.

Other than setting a date for the next hearing, the only procedural business addressed Tuesday was Judge Carrie M. Stephens reprimanding prosecutors for disclosing the exact address of the house because it had appeared in recent media reports. However, the address was circulated on flyers in the neighborhood before it appeared in any news reports.

“My daughters and I went door to door handing out information for our town hall meeting (on June 20) and our rallies,” said Mindy Bruenn of Turlock, who lives on North Central Avenue. “Of the 20 or so houses we went to, only one parent answered the door. It was always kids. Kids in the front yard and they had to look for their parents because they were already outside playing on their bikes or on the swings. That’s how it is in our community. The kids are free… and we’re proud of that.”

Bruenn was one of about a dozen Turlock residents who stood outside the District Court in Modesto Tuesday morning, carrying signs with slogans such as “Please protect our children,” “Keep child molesters off our streets” and a sign urging Judge Carrie M. Stephens to “Decide as if your child lived here.”

Farmer, who was instrumental in organizing the protests, was unable to be with them as she prepared to speak to elected officials.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Farmer, who had been invited to Sacramento by Republican Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (D-San Diego). “Until I got there. I thought all eyes would be on me, but I had my back to the audience.”

“I feel like I have made a difference.”

The stay-at-home mom is homeschooling her youngest child. State law requires that an SVP cannot be released within a quarter-mile of any school, which would disqualify the proposed North Central Avenue apartment as a possible release location. The same scenario prevented Gray from being released in neighboring Merced County earlier this year.

Jones co-authored SB 1074 with Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson). Assemblyman Juan Alanis (R-Modesto), vice chairman of the Public Safety Committee, voted for the bill, which passed the committee late Tuesday and now goes to the Assembly Budget Committee.