Judge denies release of sexual predator into Sun City

By Doug Spoon, Editor

After listening to testimony from concerned residents of the Sun City community, a Riverside County Superior Court judge today denied a request to release a sexually violent predator into the community.

In May, a judge had proposed the release of 68-year-old Lawrence Moff from the Coalinga State Hospital to a Sun City board and care facility that had agreed to accept him. But before that could take place, the court was required to hear testimony from local residents, who vehemently opposed the release during a well-attended public meeting at the Sun City Civic Association on May 11.

Those arguments were followed by more protests during today’s court hearing, which was also attended by members of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and Menifee Police Department.

Testimony was taken by the DA’s Office, Menifee PD and local residents, who described their fears for children who live and frequent Sun City if Moff were released into their neighborhood.

In 1978, Moff was convicted of one count of child molestation in Los Angeles County. In that case, he molested two young boys, ages 7 and 8, on several occasions. Moff met the two young boys after befriending their parents at church, according to a Menifee Police Department news release.

Moff was also convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with another child in Riverside County on Jan. 2, 1997. In that case, Moff again befriended the parents of a 9-year-old boy at church. Moff was sentenced to 11 years in prison for this offense.

The court’s decision was made by judge Matthew Perantoni.

“I am extremely pleased that Lawrence Moff will not be released in our community,” said Menifee Chief of Police Ed Varso in a news release. “Thank you to District Attorney Mike Hestrin, who attended community meetings and led the legal effort to challenge the proposed release. Thank you to the members of the Menifee Police Department and our community members who worked tirelessly together to stop this bad recommendation from becoming reality. Lawrence Moff would have jeopardized the safety of our families and is not welcome here.”