Sheriff Opposes Release of Elderly Sex Offender to Los Gatos Neighborhood Near Schools
Sheriff Chris Clark is urging a judge to reject a plan to move 74-year-old convicted rapist Michael Thomas Cheek into a home in Los Gatos, citing safety concerns.
After decades in prison, Michael Thomas Cheek, 74, finished a sex-offender treatment program in 2019 and now seeks supervised residence outside a locked psychiatric facility. Officials have identified a house on Terrace Grove Road in Los Gatos, a wealthy enclave in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as a possible site. Sheriff Chris Clark warns that the property’s dense forest, steep slopes and limited cellphone coverage could delay deputies’ response to any new crime, noting nearby schools, a Girl Scout camp, a church, a public park and family homes.
Previous attempts to place Cheek in Santa Cruz County locations were blocked by community opposition. The final decision rests with Superior Court Judge Nancy De La Pena, who will hear arguments on Oct. 30. Clark is pressing the court to deny the placement, emphasizing public safety risks.
