Sexually Violent Predator May Be Released To Napa County: DA

NAPA COUNTY, CA — A sexually violent predator is set to be released to live in Napa County, according to Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley.

Charles Leroy Christman, 76, who does not have ties to Napa County, is set to be released here by order of San Francisco Superior Court, Haley said Tuesday in a news release.

"Mr. Christman has no ties to the Napa community, and this placement determination was made by the California Department of Mental Health and Liberty Healthcare," Haley said.

The Napa County District Attorney's Office was notified July 27 of Christman's impending release to Napa County.

Following a final hearing scheduled for Aug. 27 in San Francisco Superior Court, Christman is set to be released to live at 4018 E. 3rd Ave. in Napa County, the DA's Office said.

Christman has been classified as a sexually violent predator due to his prior criminal record and diagnosis of pedophilia, and has been committed to the California Department of Mental Health as a sexually violent predator since 1997.

"Mr. Christman has a long history of sexually assaulting young boys, and his committing crimes included two counts of felony violations of California Penal Code section 288(a), Lewd and Lascivious Acts on a Child Under 14," Haley said.

The victims of his prior crimes were boys ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old.

When Christman was most recently previously released, it was in 2015 to Walnut Creek. He almost immediately violated the terms of his release and was recommitted to Coalinga State Hospital for the past five years, the DA's Office said.

The Sexually Violent Predator Act of 1996 allows for the commitment of certain violent sex offenders to the state mental hospital following the completion of their prison sentences. The SVA Act requires that several criteria be met before a sex offender may be committed to the Department of State Hospitals for sex offender treatment for an indeterminate term.

First, the offender must have been convicted of a violent felony sex offense. Second, the offender must have a diagnosed mental disorder. Third, the offender must be likely to commit further sexually violent predatory offenses. This type of litigation is targeted at the most serious sex offenders, the DA's Office said.

Napa County Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur is planning to appear at Christman's upcoming hearing in San Francisco to object to the release and provide feedback from the Napa community.

The DA's Office said citizens of Napa have the right to have their voices heard and provide their responses to the placement of this sexually violent predator in their community. Feedback can be submitted by letter, email, informal comment, or written petition and provided to Sgt. Chris Pacheco of the Napa County Sheriff’s Department, who can be reached at chris.pacheco@countyofnapa.org, according to the DA's Office.