Sexual predator released in Ventura County
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

Ross Leo Wollschlager

Sexually violent predator Ross Leo Wollschlager was released Friday from a state mental health facility to an undisclosed location in Ventura County, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department and the district attorney's office.

By law, a sexually violent predator must reside in the county where their crime was committed.

The district attorney's report stated that in 1983, Wollschlager, then 19, was convicted of forcible rape and sentenced to eight years in prison. He had entered homes through unlocked sliding glass doors, found his victims sleeping and assaulted them. He was paroled in 1987.

Two years later Wollschlager was convicted of forcible child molestation and two counts of residential burglary. He violently attacked the children by again entering homes at night through unlocked doors.

The crimes occurred in Ventura. Wollschlager was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison.

He was put into a state Department of Mental Health facility after a court determined he had a mental disorder that made him a danger to himself and others, the DA's report said.

The district attorney's office, the sheriff's department and the state Department of Mental Health fought to keep Wollschlager from being released. Two court rulings decided he could be released.

"We've strongly and continually asked that he not be released because we feel he is dangerous," said Nancy Kincaid, Department of Mental Health spokesperson.

"We're really frustrated with this," Chief Dep. Bruce McDowell said.

"I am disappointed that Mr. Wollschlager will be released back into our community despite our best efforts to continue his commitment as a sexually violent predator," said Ventura County District Attorney Greg Trotten.

Wollschlager will be one of seven sexually violent predators released in the state, Kincaid said.

Two of the others are in the process of having their releases revoked and being returned to custody, she said.

About 1,100 sexual predators reside in Ventura County, but Wollschlager is the only sexually violent predator, McDowell said.

Liberty Healthcare has been contracted to monitor him and make sure he follows the 27 pages of conditions set up by the court, Kincaid said.

Those terms include Wollschlager's wearing an alcohol consumption monitoring bracelet as well as a GPS bracelet to monitor his whereabouts and to make sure he's home during his curfew. He'll be required to take polygraph tests. He isn't allowed to live within 2,000 feet of any school or park.

"Sexually violent offenders are more likely to reoffend," Kincaid said.

In 2006, Wollschlager sought a conditional release, and his case went before a jury. During the trial, which lasted three weeks, two doctors testified on behalf of the Department of Mental Health that Wollschlager wasn't ready for release and continued to pose a threat to others. Three other expert witnesses said because of his age, progress in therapy and record as a model patient, he was ready for release. The jury didn't reach a verdict, a DA's report said.

Later, in 2007, Superior Court Judge Rebecca Riley decided Wollschlager was ready for a conditional release, but not until suitable housing was found. The Ventura County public defender got Wollschlager's release on appeal before the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal. That court ordered he be released before Aug. 14, a DA's report said.

Wollschlager has registered with the sheriff and is complying with all the restrictions, Kincaid said.

After a year of conditional release, he may seek to be released from all supervision, a DA's report said.

For more information on Wollschlager's release location, go to www.meganslaw.ca.gov. After acknowledging a disclaimer whose terms include not using any information on the site to commit a crime, one may access Wollschlager's specific address and other details about him.