Authorities are searching for a sexually violent predator who removed his GPS monitor and disappeared while working in Rancho Bernardo.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office says Merle Wakefield's GPS monitor went into tamper mode around 3:30 Friday morning. His supervisors responded but found the monitor had been removed, and Wakefield was gone.
Wakefield was convicted of child molestation and rape in 1980 and 1991. He had been under the supervision of Liberty Healthcare as part of the state's Conditional Release Program since 2024. Records show he had been living in Campo but working in Rancho Bernardo, where the GPS monitor was removed.
Jeff Grace, an organizer with Keep Rancho Bernardo Safe, said the community had long raised concerns about Wakefield's supervision.
"The GPS was pretty predictable, so our reaction is, you know, an irresponsible judge, this was pretty predictable, and now you got a frightened, super elevated community scared, not sure where this human being is," Grace said.
Grace was among those who pushed back when officials proposed different locations for Wakefield to live, including in Poway, citing concerns about a sexually violent predator living near homes and children.
"Got himself rid of that and then threw his cell phone, along with the bracelet, into the bushes, that could have happened right here and harmed any of these kids," Grace said.
Grace also raised questions about whether Wakefield had the required level of oversight at the time of his disappearance.
"He was supposed to have 24/7 human supervision with him all the time in addition to the GPS ankle bracelet, and clearly he didn't have the 24/7 on-site human supervision, or else this would have been prevented," Grace said.
Grace said the community's position on housing sexually violent predators has not changed.
"We understand the release. Keep them on state property. Keep them behind the state walls, put them in a trailer. Keep them under the supervision of state officials, not in communities with kids like this in these, you know, traditional areas, no place for them," Grace said.
Wakefield is 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs approximately 230 pounds, and has brown eyes. The Sheriff's Office is asking the public not to approach Wakefield if seen and to call 911 immediately.
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