Board sends letter opposing potential release and Manila placement of civilly committed violent predator

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on May 6 to send a formal letter to the court opposing the proposed conditional release and placement of a civilly committed violent predator, Richard Stobaugh, into the community of Manila.

District Attorney Stacy Eads and Chief Baxley of the Sheriff's Office addressed the board and the public to outline the county's objections. Eads summarized Stobaugh's criminal history and civil commitment: a jury adjudicated him a sexually violent predator after convictions dating back to 1981, and a court had committed him to a State Hospital. Eads said the district attorney's office continues to oppose his release, saying the county believes he remains "a dangerous individual that is likely to reoffend if returned to the community." The DA asked community members to submit personal letters to the court in addition to the county's statement.

Chief Baxley told the board she found the Manila property assessment provided by the contractor managing conditional releases to be subjective and said the proposed site understates the presence of bus stops, schools, day cares and public spaces. "Manila is not the place for him," she said, urging the board to oppose placement there.

Community members and residents from Manila, Arcata and neighboring areas packed the meeting and gave repeated testimony about fear, proximity to dunes and beaches where cell reception can be poor, and long emergency response times from the Sheriff's Office. Multiple speakers referenced an estimated 16-minute sheriff response time from the proposed site and stressed that intermittent cell reception could impair GPS monitoring of an electronic tether.

Eads and county staff outlined the court schedule: the next day the court could hear a motion to continue a placement hearing at 8:30 a.m., with a public calendar set for 10:15 a.m. The district attorney encouraged residents to file letters and attend the hearing; Eads said the court had received hundreds of letters and a petition with more than 450 signatures opposing the Manila placement.

After public comment, the board voted to send a letter to the court opposing the proposed placement and urging the court to consider public safety and monitoring limitations in making release determinations. The vote was recorded as unanimous.

Clarifying details: the DA said Stobaugh was adjudicated a sexually violent predator by jury in February 2016 and committed to Coalinga State Hospital after earlier convictions; the community was given an opportunity to address the court during the scheduled calendar (a motion to continue was to be heard at 08:30 with the public calendar at 10:15). County staff and the Sheriff's Office cited the Manila location's semi-rural character, proximity to schools and parks and potential gaps in cell and GPS monitoring as reasons the site is inappropriate.

The county's letter is intended as a formal expression of community concern and is not a judicial filing but will be included in the public record sent to the court. Eads asked individuals with personal impacts to file separate victim impact letters and, if possible, appear in court on the calendar the following day.