Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark is opposing the proposed placement of a man designated as a sexually violent predator at a home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, citing concerns about the remote location and potential difficulties for law enforcement.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office learned this week that 25237 Terrace Grove Road in Los Gatos, within Santa Cruz County, has been proposed as a residence for Michael Cheek. The property is in a remote area off Soquel San Jose Road.
Cheek was convicted of kidnapping, rape and forcible oral copulation of a 21-year-old woman in Santa Cruz County in 1980. Before he began his sentence, Cheek was transferred to Contra Costa County to face allegations that he violated the terms of his probation.
Cheek has been designated a sexually violent predator, and his placement at the property requires court approval.
Clark said his office assessed the property and surrounding area and determined that its location could pose problems for monitoring Cheek and responding to potential violations.
“The concerns are specific and serious,” Clark said.
The sheriff said the home is surrounded by dense forest and steep terrain and has limited road access. Unreliable cellular and GPS service could interfere with electronic monitoring and communication with law enforcement, while narrow roads, abandoned structures and recreational vehicles could complicate a search or apprehension, he said.
Clark also said schools, a Girl Scout camp, a church, a public park and residential neighborhoods are nearby, and routes to and from the property pass locations where children and families gather.
According to Clark, Cheek committed crimes in Santa Cruz County but has never lived in the county and has no known family or support network here.
“That does not mean the people he harmed, or the community where those crimes occurred, should be asked to carry the risk of his placement here,” Clark said.
The proposed placement will be considered during an Oct. 30 hearing at 1:30pm before Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Nancy De La Peña in Department 6.
Members of the public can submit written comments before Oct. 30 by emailing SV*@***ao.us or mailing them to the SVP Unit, Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, 701 Ocean St., Room 200, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
