Claremont Police Work to Calm Nerves Over Release of Sex Offender

Some residents became alarmed following news that an admitted rapist with Claremont ties would be released. Police say no release date has been set.
Claremont Police on Thursday moved to calm residents concerned over the possible release of a sex offender.
The District Attorney's Office filed an emergency writ seeking to vacate a judge's order to release Christopher Evans Hubbart, a serial rapist who admitted assaulting about 40 women between 1971 and 1982, according to a 2004 opinion filed by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
According to police, some Claremont residents are under the impression that Hubbart was to be returned to his last known address in Claremont. Those fears have been fueled by news reports, officers said.
“Currently, there is no release date for Hubbart and there has been no decision made by the court on where he will be released to live,” according to a news release issued by Claremont Police Capt. John Traber. “Early reports indicated that the officials from the State had contacted Chief Paul Cooper notifying him of Hubbart’s release to the Claremont community.
"No one at the Claremont Police Department has been contacted by the State or any other official entity regarding Hubbart’s release in general or his release to any specific location, including Claremont. Again, that decision has not been made by the court,” officials said.
Claremont Mayor Opanyi Nasiali, City Manager Tony Ramos and City Attorney Sonia Carvalho have discussed the matter and planned to submit a letter to the court, handling the Hubbart case, opposing his release to the Claremont community.
Officials said the City Manager’s staff and Claremont Police are monitoring the situation and have spoken with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office.
Betty Crocker, a founding member of Claremont's Keeping the GOOD in Our Neighborhood, a neighborhood group, said her concern was not just for Claremont but also for any Southern California neighborhood that might have to house a repeat offender. She said was concerned enough to consider reaching out to Los Angeles District Attorney officials.
But city officials quickly responded to her concerns, she said.
“It seems we have been heard and they are all working to keep us informed as to the status and their work on our behalf,” Crocker wrote in a recent email. “I wanted to jump through the email and hug all of them. There is much out of our control as we wait for the courts, but there is also much that has been done.”
Should the court decide to release Hubbart into Claremont, the city is prepared to do what is necessary, including go to court, to protect the city's interests, officials said.
According to police officials, Hubbart’s mother and stepfather had lived in the county area of Claremont for a time, but both are now deceased. Their home was sold and city staffers said it was not known what ties Hubbart had left within the city.