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SANTA CRUZ, California (KPIX) -- A homeowner has turned back on an agreement to house a convicted kidnapper and rapist in a town in Santa Cruz County, forcing officials to place him elsewhere, according to the county's District Attorney's Office.
Michael Thomas Cheek, a declared sexually violent predator, was originally planned to be placed in a rental at 204 Forest Drive in the unincorporated town of Aptos, if the court agreed. The public recommendation was made by officials from the California Department of State Hospitals and Liberty Healthcare, which runs the state's conditional release program for declared sexually violent predators.
This was met with opposition from the District Attorney's Office and residents who insisted on Cheek being placed elsewhere.
Based on a letter sent by Liberty Healthcare to the court on Aug. 28, the homeowner of Cheek's planned residence in Aptos requested to "rescind her agreement to rent to Mr. Cheek; subsequently rendering the property unavailable for placement."
"Liberty followed internal procedures for property withdrawal and the homeowner has returned the holding money paid for the property. Liberty respectfully requests to withdraw the aforementioned property from consideration by the Court," the letter read.
The District Attorney's Office welcomed the development, saying that the proposed location for Cheeks placement will no longer be considered.
"Currently, there are no proposed placement locations pending Court approval. Cheek continues to receive patient sex offender treatment through the Department of State Hospitals in a locked psychiatric facility," prosecutors said.
Cheek was found guilty of kidnapping, rape and forcible oral copulation in 1980. Shortly after he was sentenced and his prison term began, he escaped from a Contra Costa County jail facility and raped a 15-year-old child in Lake County. He was then sentenced to more time in prison.
In 1997, Cheek was declared a sexually violent predator under the state's Sexually Violent Predator Act. He was also sent to sex offender treatment.
