The Antelope Valley Times

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LEAPS helps catch absconded sex offender

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The Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System (LEAPS) was launched on Friday, August 24.

LANCASTER – The City of Lancaster’s Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System (LEAPS) has been putting in serious work during the past week, according to city officials.

“While Lancaster residents enjoyed their holiday festivities with family and friends, the City’s innovative crime-fighting tool assisted Sheriff Deputies and State Parole Authorities in apprehending criminals,” reads a city news release issued Thursday.

On December 22, just days before Christmas, a registered sex offender monitored via GPS was determined missing because he failed to report to his parole officer.  The parolee claimed to be sleeping in the desert, when Valley temperatures reached into the teens, making that scenario unlikely.

An alert went out on Saturday morning (Dec. 22), informing the California Parole Division that the monitored parolee had in fact been out all night, requiring the launch of an investigation.

California State Adult Parole Operations Supervisor Larry Dorsey drove out to the five-acre search area and determined it to be inaccessible via ground unit.  Dorsey then called the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station to enlist the aid of the Law Enforcement Aerial Platform System in order to get a broad scope view of the parolee’s reported whereabouts.

With aerial eyes covering the five-acre expanse, the State of California Parole Division and Lancaster Sheriff Deputies were able to maximize law enforcement resources in alternate areas and, ultimately, apprehend the registered sex offender in another location.

Dorsey said the parolee’s name is Eugene Kato. Kato, 50, was arrested around 9:15 a.m. Monday for violating his parole and booked at the Lancaster Station without bail.

“Law enforcement officers were able to locate this paroled registered sex offender in a short period of time due to the assistance of LEAPS,” Dorsey said in a city news release. “With this tool being able to scour the desert from above, personnel was redirected to other possible locations, maximizing our resources, and leading to the swift retrieval of this parole violator. LEAPS is a great resource to have in such situations.”

LEAPS was also used on Dec. 21 to track a burglary suspect running from the scene of a crime called in as a burglary-in-progress. Deputies followed the sight-on-criminal directions provided by the LEAPS dispatch crew, and subsequently identified a residence into which the suspect ran and hid.

After containing and evacuating the residence, deputies searching the premises and arrested the harbored suspect as he emerged from a bedroom.  The suspect later confessed to the attempted burglary.

“LEAPS accomplishments as a law enforcement tool continue to expand, proving its worth with every successful effort,” said Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris in a city news release.  “These two recent apprehensions show just how valuable LEAPS is in serving and protecting our city and its residents.”

(Information via press release from the city of Lancaster.)

Related articles:

LEAPS helps catch burglary suspect

LEAPS helps deputies find suicidal man

Progress report on “Eye in the Sky”

LEAPS aids capture of double murder suspect

‘Eye in the Sky’ takes off

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

83 comments for "LEAPS helps catch absconded sex offender"

  1. Does LEAPS belong to you?Does LEAPS belong to you?If it does then why does it cost $90,000.00 a month and do nothing?If it does then why does it cost $90,000.00 a month and do nothing?If it does then why do you get $90,000.00 a month for 10 years when we already have a sherriffs heliocopter?If it does then why do you get $90,000.00 a month for 10 years when we already have a sherriffs heliocopter?That is $10,800,000.00.That is $10,800,000.00.That is money that could be spent for more sherriffs.That is money that could be spent for more sherriffs.Instead of on a plane that does nothing.Instead of on a plane that does nothing.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.Yes to more boots on the ground.Yes to more boots on the ground.

  2. I’m sorry but I forgot. Can we use the plane to locate the mayor and council members when they fail to show up for the meetings we pay them to attend?

    • Did the aitplane come with a compass? I hope it didn’t get lost and is accidently patrollings Van Nuys. Please print some heroic stories of the plane’s exploits, even if not true, so I can fell safe again.

  3. Did the plane’s pilot imbibe too much over the holidays? It hasn’t done much recently to save us from our friends, nieghbors and assorted local reprobates. I will leave my Mobile 1 oil on the sidewalk so the oil change on our beloved plane can be completed and it can fly again. I feel so unsafe when its grounded.

  4. Hm. They hauled out an airplane to find some sex offender in a vacant lot. Your tax dollars at work. A police dog would have found the perp for the cost of a bag of dog food. The plane is over a million a year. Oh well, gotta pay for Frank Visco’s research and development on his gadget and help those scared white people feel safe.

    • Lets not forget the 30 million being spent to upgrade the sheriffs computers in the cars. I can see the need for upgrading, that i get. But who the hell are they buying there computers from? 30 million? You could buy every household in the city new computers and still have money left over to pay a couple months of the leaps unless plane…. And folks dont be fooled by the articles claiming that this plane is busting people all over town. Want the real truth? Ask a sheriff. Trust and believe that R. Rex Penis is gonna make sure that plane is flying in the area anytime some high profile media event comes up. Just so he can say “see, its worth the money”. Take for instance the convict that Leaps found out in the desert. Reality is they tract him down by his damn monitoring device around his ankle. Rushed the call in to get the plane in the air to search for the guy. Was spotted in the middle of the desert by leaps… Hell any retard could have found him by simply opening his/her eyes from the comforts of your own bathroom. But of course Leaps got another one. And this BS is only gonna get worse as more heat is put on Mr.R. Rex Penis over useless spending.

      • You are right Noneya.You are right Noneya.LEAPS is not busting people all over town.LEAPS is not busting people all over town.LEAPS is a waste of tax payer dollars.Everyone knows it is a waste.Everyone knows it is a waste.Everyone knows we have a sherriffs heliocopter.Everyone know we have a sherriffs heliocopter.Everyone knows we pay for a sherriffs heliocopter.It does not cost $90,000.00 a month like LEAPS does.It does not cost $90,000.00 like LEAPS does.Why do we pay $90,000.00 a month for something we do not want?Why do we pay $90,000.00 a month for something we do not need?If we need aerial support we have the sherriffs heliocopter.If we need aerial support we have the sherriffs heliocopter.We do not need the sherriffs heliocopter 10 hours a day.We do not need the sherriffs heliocopter 10 hours a day.LEAPS is a waste for the tax payer.LEAPS is a waste for the tax payer.It only makes money for it’s owner.It only makes money for it’s owner.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.Quit wasting $90,000.00 a month.Quit wasting $90,000.00 a month.

      • Noneya, The computer upgrade consists of 2400 units total at around $14M in cost and a attritional $19M in software and integration. That contract is for all of LASD (not just local stations) and upgrades the in car computers with mil spec rugged computers. The current system they are using is from 1987. Do you still use a computer from 1987?
        While all of us are paying for this upgrade through our taxes, it’s a necessary upgrade to provide deputies with the best tools to do their job.
        Contrary to the ignorant opinion; not everything can be done with just more deputies, a stick and a bigger megaphone.. communication and the distribution of data to the deputies in the field is critical to the success of LASD and having the latest technology to accomplish that is a justified expense.

        • I have “to help Sherrifs do a better job” fatigue, Lancaster have the biggest sherrif dept. in LA County, we bought them a plane, and weren’t they drivng around in Hammers with banner from a certain Law firm? With all that, the jewelery store accros the street from them, ON THE BLVD. GETS ROBBED!!! They can’T find a guy with a tracking system on his ankle on 5 acre radios!!! hmmm who is making the money on this deal now?

  6. God bless Rex for Leeps and the boulevard to nowhere. God bless our council for silly leadership which is at least consistent. God bless the trees and banners to enhance the bouelvard to nowhere that we already paid for. God bless the tournaround we spent money that was abandoned. God bless the wasted dollars on law suits so our mayor could go on television and posture himself. We have so much to be thankful for in Lancaster I just do not know where to start or stop.

    • Yes…yes…yes! Life is wonderful in Mayor R. Rex Parris’s Lancaster. I can hear the birds singing: can’t you? I can feel the live on the BLVD, can’t you? I feel safer when I see the beacon of light beaming from they Eye in the Sky, don’t you? I am happy, so happy, aren’t you?

    • Thank you Mayor Parris for giving us Leeps and burying further into the hole along with your boulevard to nowhere.

    • Yes thank you Mayor Paris for spending 90,000.00 on something we do not need.Yes thank you Mayor Paris for spending 90,000.00 on something we do not need.No to LEAPS. No to LEAPS.

    • Sorry dave, but Rex Parris didn’t give you a cotton pickin’ thing. You are PAYING for that gadget with your hard-earned tax-dollars. You are PAYING for that device which has had absolutely no testing anywhere to see if it ACTUALLY REDUCES CRIME. You are PAYING for Frank Visco’s research and development on his gadget. So far, it’s tracked down a banded sex offender that could have been flushed out with a K-9 unit. And God bless you too, dave. Stay happy in your ignorance.

  8. Where is the plane today. It’s been 3 days or $9,000 and it has not made any heroic effort at saving our beloved Lancaster. If the oil change is a porblem I still have some Mobile 1 left over in my garage. Please send it up for I fear for my friends and nieghbors.

      • Are you sure the $90,000.00 a month LEAPS does not fly on weekends?Are you sure the $90,000.00 a month LEAPS does not fly on weekends?Crime does not sleep.Crime does not sleep.LEAPS sleeps.LEAPS sleeps.Sherriffs heliocopter does not sleep.Why do we pay $90,000.00 for a plane that is only available 10 hours a day?Why do we pay $90,000.00 for a plane that is only available 10 hours a day?If we need aerial support we have the sherriffs helioopter.$90,000.00 a month for LEAPS is a waste ot tax payer money.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.

          • If I take meds LEAPS cost 90,000.00 a month.If I do not take meds LEAPS cost 90,000.00 a month.LEAPS is a waste of tax payer money.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.Quit wasting tax payer dollars.Quit wasting tax payer dollars.

        • I must agree with turd, I must agree with turd,LEAPS can take a flying leap,LEAPS can take a flying leap. No to lepper leapper !

      • It flies on the weekends. It was up yesterday during the day and is actually flying around now.. It’s hard to see through the clouds, but I saw it pop out while making a turn just a while ago. It’s obviously LEAPS because no privately owned Cessna would be flying around at 1500 ASL in this kind of weather.
        It’s probably able to report car accidents, stranded vehicles and other weather related issues as fast as they happen. If a road goes out it can be reported BEFORE someone drives through the rushing river or gaping hole..
        Actually water and ICE show up much better in IR than they do with optical cameras so having an IR camera monitoring road conditions as the temperature drops means that LASD can direct deputies to dangerous road conditions. Then the roads can be closed or addressed by city services BEFORE a major accident happens.

        • We are paying $90,000.00 amount to report car accidents?We are paying $90,000.00 amount to report car accidents?We are paying $90,000.00 a month to report icy roads?We are paying $90,000.00 a month to report icy roads?How much does a cell phone cost?How much does a cell phone cost?This is ridicous.This is ridiculous.we are wasting $90,000.00 a month.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.

        • Adam please, do we realy need a plane to tell us where ice roads are at the tune of $90,000.00 a month? what is the monthly salary of a teacher? Where Would this money be better invested?

    • A Lycoming 320 is basically a car engine. Vertically opposed 4 cylinder engine like in the Scion FRS and Subaru FRZ, just a bit larger displacement. Basically changing the oil on one is arguably easier than even the average automobile. It could literally be done during a re-fuel in about one hour.
      Google it .. there are even D.I.Y. videos of oil changes. You can google DIY too if you don’t know what it means.. seems so with so many ignorant comments.

  9. The truth about LEAPS will not be hidden.The truth about LEAPS will not be hidden.$90,000.00 a month.$90,000.00 a month.For aerial surveillance.That we already have.that we already have.$90,000.00 a month of tax payers money.That can be used better.No one else pays $90,000.00 a month for LEAPS.Tax payers money. No one else wants LEAPS.Lots can be done with $90,000.00 a month.$90,000.00 a month can hire sherriffs.We have great sherriffs.We need more sherriffs.To lower crime.No to LEAPS.No to $90,000.00 a month of wasted tax payer money.No to LEAPS.

  10. Well written Turd and worth repeating.
    “How are sales going for LEAPS?How are sales going for LEAPS?LEAPS is the greatest crime fighting tool of all time.LEAPS is the greatest crime fighting tool of all time.Everyone wants LEAPS.Everyone wants LEAPS.Except Los Angeles.Except Long Beach.Except Pacoima.Except Bakersfield.Except Palmdale.Except Victorville.Except California City.Except Ridgecrest.Except Ventura.Except Thousand Oaks.Except Compton.Except Pasadena.Except Santa Clarita.Except Simi Valley.Except San Bernardino.No one wants LEAPS.No one needs LEAPS.We pay $90,000.00 a month for what.We could hire more sherriffs.We have great sherriffs.we need more sherriffs.We do not want LEAPS.LEAPS was forced on us.Against our will.The people do not want LEAPS.We are not safer with LEAPS.We are safer with more sherriffs.No to LEAPS. No to LEAPS.No to wasting $90,000.00 a month.”

  11. Perhaps we can make a darling super hero crime fighting costume for Rex using the same colors of his plane and then strap him to the wings so when the plane swoops down on criminals, the loud speaker can be turned on with sounds like “POW”, “SMACK” and “BOP”. Your right, that would cost too much. How about a WWI Snoopy helmet for Rex if he promises to make his own airplane attack sound effects.

  12. How are sales going for LEAPS?How are sales going for LEAPS?LEAPS is the greatest crime fighting tool of all time.LEAPS is the greatest crime fighting tool of all time.Everyone wants LEAPS.Everyone wants LEAPS.Except Los Angeles.Except Long Beach.Except Pacoima.Except Bakersfield.Except Palmdale.Except Victorville.Except California City.Except Ridgecrest.Except Ventura.Except Thousand Oaks.Except Compton.Except Pasadena.Except Santa Clarita.Except Simi Valley.Except San Bernardino.No one wants LEAPS.No one needs LEAPS.We pay $90,000.00 a month for what.We could hire more sherriffs.We have great sherriffs.we need more sherriffs.We do not want LEAPS.LEAPS was forced on us.Against our will.The people do not want LEAPS.We are not safer with LEAPS.We are safer with more sherriffs.No to LEAPS. No to LEAPS.No to wasting $90,000.00 a month.

  14. Girl, you need to get updated, you should watch the City tapes People were attacked and jailed for speaking out at the City Council meeetings and calling Mayor Parris a CROOK.

  15. Wonderful Lord Mayor. Maybe your your plane can solve the Kennedy assaination next and find Big Foot next. What silly stories.

    • The plane’s camera can see so well that if it flew over Los Angeles, it can tell who’s had ‘work’ done.

  16. My reading is that our intrepid Deputies are unable to search areas of the local desert (owing to inadequate vehicles and equipment?) in spite of the 4 x 4 vehicles and Helicopters in their possession but that LEAPS was able to do so and not in any way assist in the capture of this person who was subsequently found in a Residence because of sterling old fashioned police work. Well worth the money Rex!

    • Like I said….a K-9 unit would have flushed him out in 10 minutes….for the price of a bag of dog food. Oh wait….Rex doesn’t like dogs.

  17. So a spy plane is more important than homeless people in the Lancaster Ca area. This is what I think. The amount of money spent on this spy plane should be utilized for a better cause. The L.A. County Sheriff helicopters work great. Shame on the mayors in the A.V. and the Congress reps for not caring for the homeless.

    • Don’t we spend 23 million dollars a year for the service of the LASD? We duplicate efforts with our Code Enforcement and Traffic Enforcement officers. We duplicate efforts with our LEAP when the LASD has a copter with the same capability as the LEAP and is part of our contract with them. If Mayor Parris and the Neigbhorhood Commission want to help the citizens of Lancaster, how about having landlords do background checks, courtsey of the LASD, on questionable tenants and publishing the names of the registered sex offenders if they rent in a certain area. The same for Grace Resources. If Grace is providing a haven for sex offenders then it should be revealed. We need to take proactive approach to solving crime with available resources and not incur additional expenses. If Rex Parris wants to be Sheriff, he should challenge his fellow Republican Lee Baca next election.

  19. How about a little more information about the absconder? Surely there are many parole violations every day of the year. What makes this one so special that he warrants unleashing the Eye in the Sky? And a big article on the front page of this web site?

    A person with that name is not found on the Megans Law web site – so if he is a registrant his crime is not even worthy of public notifications. A quick Google search does not produce any other major criminal activity.

    The whole thing sounds like a cheap click getter whipping the public into a frenzy using the always reliable work horse term ‘sex offender’ (there are two articles about missing registrants on parole on the front page today), or an advertisement for the ultra-expensive crime fighting drone.

    • @Bob… Actually, in 2006 the California Office of Inspector General office issued a 40 page indictment against CDCR slamming the parole system for failing to track Phillip Garrido, the convicted violent sex offender who kidnapped Jaycee Dugard in 1991. Therefore, they have a much more stricterr policy in regards to classifying and monitoring sex offenders on GPS.

      The two types of GPS monitoring are classified as active (high-risk parolees whose movements received the most scrutiny) and 4,800 are passive (those who receive much less scrutiny). Active can trace an offenders movement at the same time they are occurring and passive records and stores the data and transmits it at the end of the day.

      Parole Agent Larry Dorsey made the right decision with law enforcement to utilize the LEAPS aircraft considering that Mr. Rivera removed the GPS ankle bracelet which is the ultimate violation of a parolee under this type of supervision. It’s about public safety and awareness that a sex offender has abscounded and they are asking the publics assistance in locating Mr. Rivera.

      The Leaps aircraft can cover a lot more territory in a quicker amount of time than “boots on the ground”, allowing the parolee apprehension team to canvas other areas in attempts of locating Mr. Rivera.

        • @The Anti-Rex… Why use the sheriff’s helicopter at an extra cost when we have the LEAPS aircraft at our reaily disposal and get our moneys worth out of it and produce some evidence-based data on it’s effectiveness. It’s going to take a few years of data collection to prove to the citizens that it was a worthy investment for the city. This is the Antelope Valley, known as the aerospace capital and experimental aircraft. Hopefully we will get a profitable return on this investment of LEAPS and remain the leader amongst the country for new concepts, no matter what my personal feelings are against it in this economy.

          • Okay. So let me see if I can sum up this article. They take a plane that no one wants, fly it to a small area of the desert where no one is and it’s a good thing? Am I missing something? Based on this logic, you could have just sent a bicycle cop there to walk around for an hour (at much less cost) and still “freed resources to be available elsewhere”. Pathetic really. Sounds like a story whipped up to justify the cost of something no one wants. And as for the “why use the sheriff’s helicopter” comment… …the answer is because it’s already a sunk cost that would have been MUCH cheaper to use had we not already been forced to pay for the grossly overpriced LEAPS aircraft.

          • Why use the sherriffs heliocopter?Why use the sherriffs heliocopte?Because we already pay for it!Because we already pay for it!LEAPS is a double dip. LEAPS is a double dip.Quit wasting our tax dollars.No to LEAPS.yes to more sherriffs.we have great sherriffs.We need more sherriffs.To help reduce crime.With LEAPS crime has gone up.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.

        • The sheriff helicopter is shared with Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and Lancaster. It is stretched pretty thin.

          • AND its not available on short notice 24 hours, or even 12 hours. Its not based out of the AV. I would bet none of you people saying that the city contracts for it are even aware of EXACTLY what the contract is for the helicopter. I’d love to actually find out the exact details. AND I would like to find out the exact comparison of its optical equipment compared to LEAPS.

            Until you can cite the exact contracted obligation, please stop talking like you know a damn thing about the contract.

          • @Uncle Tom… The LASD Aero Bureau and helicopter fleet is based in Long Beach. In 2011 they purchased 14 Eurocopter A350 for a total cost of $56.7 million. Each one cost $2 million and another $2.1 million a piece to upfit them with equipment. Here is the 2009-2014 Municipal Law Enforcement Agreement By and Between the County of Los Angeles and the City of Lancaster http://www.cityoflancasterca.org/Search.aspx?&sa.x=9&sa.y=13&sa=Search&cof=FORID%3A11&q=municipal%20law%20enforcement%20agreement&cx=014272426406783312333%3At3bew1ponjo

          • While Aero View LLC will not disclose the specifics of the hardware used for the optical and IR cameras on LEAPS it’s common knowledge that LASD Aero Bureau uses a FLIR Star Safire HD Camera and a FLIR Ultra 9500 IR Camera. An internal report by LASD made public recently put the price of just these 2 items at $1,106,591.

            = LISTEN (READ) COMPREHEND THE MATH HERE =
            LEAPS cost $1.3 million out the door.
            Just the cameras used on an LASD helicopter costs $1.16 million.
            So either Aero View LLC is paying through the nose for LEAPS or LEAPS has a substantially inferior optical and IR camera system. When you also consider the fact that transmitting high resolution video to and from a moving object over a mile away is both difficult and expensive (big 6 figures) the math of LEAPS does not add up to anything more than a 540 line camera with a 22.5x optical zoom and 420 line IR camera with 10x optical zoom. And unless more LEAPS sell AND Lancaster picks up the contract for 2013 AERO VIEW LLC is probably running a big loss on LEAPS.

      • @Michelle Egberts – maybe my reading comprehension skills are not what they used to be, but the parolee in the article is not the one you keep describing. That man is in a different article (3 of the 5 articles in the 5-article visual leader today are either about sex offenders or sexual assault – truly a ‘reporter’s’ wet dream…).

        I would guess that the guy in this article was convicted of a sex crime that does not warrant a listing on the Megans Law web site in the (distant) past. He probably committed a non-sex felony recently for which he is now on parole, perhaps even a Failure to Register. This makes him a ‘paroled sex offender’ whose one night in the desert causes aerial surveillance to be launched. Pffft.

        But lets talk about the other one – Mr. Rivera (wrong article I know). This man, 38 years old, was convicted of a sex crime as a juvenile. A juvenile would be a person under the age of 18. Slapping a 17.9 year old on the rear is sexual abuse of a child – so a child is defined as a person under 18. Meaning that Mr. Rivera committed his offense as a child (the very demographic that the SO Registry exists to protect). So far so good.

        Then here is a guy who committed a sex offense 20 years ago as a child and is on parole for violating the registration requirements. He is now on parole with a GPS monitor for something he did decades ago? No new actual ‘crimes”? I challenge anyone to comply with sex offender parole conditions for any length of time. I would not last a week… and that is who we are worried about? Really??? What is it about ‘public safety’ that requires knowledge of this man’s whereabouts every second of the day?

        At the risk of being redundant and unpopular, it is my opinion that there are more pressing issues in this world than obsessing about these people. By Law Enforcement, the press and people in general. Like PREVENTING the attack on the girl walking to school a few weeks ago. Or the abuse of all sorts that goes on in the home.

        Alrighty, I am going to sit back now and watch my thumbs down accumulate.

        • @ Bob… you are very correct when it comes to best utilizing our resources on prevention of sex offenses. While it is commonly believed that most sexual assaults are committed by strangers, the research suggests that the overwhelming majority of sex offenders victimize people known to them; approximately 90 percent of child victims know their offenders, as do 80 percent of adult victims [per Kilpatrick, D.G., Edmunds, C.N., & Seymour, A.K. (1992) Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. Arlington, VA: National Victim Center].

          Prevention and intervention are the keys as well as educating the public…

    • @Bob… In addition, Mr. Rivera was apprehended, and now the Board of Prison Terms will violate him at the Morrisey Hearing and he will be returned back to prison for his violation up to a year, not local custody.

      However, our concern should be of the Antelope Valley Times staff and M. Dilworth who had a delay in reporting this incident as it occurred on December 22nd, and posted “Sex Offender on the Loose” on December 27th at 4:29pm and then posted the “Leaps helps catch abscounded Sex Offender only a minute later on December 27th at 4:30pm proving that they will go to any length to sensationalize crime. Obviously they didn’t care to combine it into one article instead. Shame on you AV Times staff for doing such in this situation.

      • @Michelle Egberts: Last night you said 3-5 years, now you’re saying a year for the violation? “@ Liz… I hope Mr. Rivera turns himself in to his parole agent as well. As for the remaining time of his parole, it’s probably 3 to 5 years and while he is “abscounding” his parole time stopped the moment they placed the warrant on him.”

        • @ Liz… Mr. Rivera’s parole length of supervision is 3 to 5 years, a technical violation (return to custody) is up to 1 year and with him being a sex offender and is determined by the Board of Prison Term Commissioner when he goes before them. Also, he goes to prison, not local custody like the other parolees who violate and can only get up to a six month violation.

          Unfortunately, with the split in articles I didn’t realize that they had caught him the same day, so his abscounding was only for one day, so that one day will be added on to his parole once released from his violation. That is why I chastised the AV Times for posting one story on Dec. 27th at 4:29pm and the other on Dec 27th at 4:30pm when estentially they should have compiled it into one article. I am sorry for the confusion.

          • @Liz… In addition, the time Mr. Rivera does for his technical violation does not count towards his time of supervision, it is considered “dead time” and that will also be added to the tail end of his parole plus the one day abscounding.

            I still hope when Mr. Rivera is released that he will enroll in our program, that way he has additional support and resources to transition back into society and will not make the foolish choice of cutting off his GPS ankle bracelet.

          • @Michaelle Egberts

            You are confusing the hell out of me, and everyone else I’m assuming. The sex offender LEAPS caught is NOT Mr. Rivera. That sex offenders name is Eugene Kato as it says in the article. And he was caught on December 24, two days after he went missing, as it says in the article.

            The OTHER article talks about Andres Rivera who went missing on December 24.

            Why would you want to combine the two articles so that people think its referring to the same sex offender??? Like you did?

            10 minutes ago, I saw on Time Warner cable that Andres Rivera is still on the loose. So how are you now saying he has been apprehended??

            You don’t seem to know what the heck you’re talking about. If you do, please enlighten me.

          • @Letlow… Yes I got Mr. Rivera and Mr Kato mixed up in my post of 8:50 a.m, however I was correct in my 8:25 am posting that I hope Mr Rivera will turn himself in to his parole agent. My oops, thank you for bringing this to my attention.

            As for Mr. Kato, his “failure to report” technical violation will get him about 30 days in custody, which will give him plenty of time to realize that reporting is a must and they have a “zero tolerance” for excuses/no shows, especially one classified a sex offender under GPS control.

      • @Michelle, The AV Times is the best we have had in years, you give the AV Press try and see what that gets you.

        • @ MG… there’s a fine line between crime reporting and sensationalism. They don’t have to resort to sensationalism in order to attract an audience and get an edge. Media is media and when it comes to reporting crime, it seem as though “if it bleeds it leads”.

          • We know all that and Mayor Parris is aware of it as well, in the past he’s made use of The AV Press to maling people that don’t agree with him and advance his causes with impunity, I suspect that most of these “releases” are comming from: (someone called them)”The Fern Mafia” (Lancaster City Council and it’s Mayor) You have been away for a while and have missed the circus spetacle the Lancaster City Hall has been. The AV Times has been great, we now have a plece to voice our concerns. That’s the way I see it.

          • @snt… not only should the citizens concerns be voiced here in these blogs, but also in the city council chamber during council meetings and directly to the Mayor himself. I lived through his circus act in a courtroom and how he puppeteered others to try and lie… but they got caught and their “jig” was up with the jury.

            Mayor Parris and his “henchmen” don’t intimidate me and nor do I cower. However, it would be nice to hear these voices heard at a City Council meeting. Unless there are distribution of awards or some “grandstanding” its a pathetic sight to see so many empty seats. Show up… stand up and speak up is my motto.

  20. You need a plane to cover 5 acres, five acres seriously??? When did that become an expanse?? What a joke!!!

    • I am not certain – but is an acre not the size of a football field? If so – a plane to search 5 football fields? Really??

  21. What a joke this is!What a joke this is!We could not access the desert by vehicle?We could not acess the desert by vehicle? what bull turd!What bull turd!What about those fancy R. Rex Parris four wheel trucks in the parades?What about thise fancy R. Rex Parris four wheel trucks in the parades?What bull turds!What bull turds.Half the AV can drive their trucks across the desert!What bull turd!This is a joke.This should have been done without aerial support.If aerial support was needed why didn’t we use the heliocopter we pay for?This is a joke.Mayor Paris must be getting desperate.Mayor Paris must be getting desperate.Because LEAPS is not selling. LEAPS is not selling.No one wants LEAPS.Mayor Paris has to sell LEAPS.Must sell LEAPS.Must sell LEAPS.Even though crime goes up.Must sell LEAPS.Must sell LEAPS.No to LEAPS.No to LEAPS.Yes to sherriffs.We have great sherriffs.we need more sherriffs.No to LEAPS!No to LEAPS!Yes to more sherriffs.Yes to boots on the ground!Yes to boots on the ground!

  23. This is a joke right? The plane didn’t catch the guy, so the plane get’s the credit for catching the guy? How long are we going to pretend this is money well spent?

  25. “These two recent apprehensions”

    – for a million bucks I think we should get more for the money, don’t you think?