A Ventura County judge has ordered that a convicted rapist and child molester be housed in Joshua Tree. Ross Wollschlager, 56, was convicted of multiple rapes and child molestations in Ventura County for crimes committed in 1983, in which he crept into the homes of his victims late at night and raped them. Wollschlager was paroled in 1987, and after his release from prison, he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl who was asleep in her own bed. He was convicted in 1996 and the state formally declared him a sexually violent predator. In January of this year, Judy Nancy Ayers ordered Liberty Healthcare to assist in the conditional release of Wollschlager into the community. (Liberty Healthcare is the organization contracted with the Department of State Hospitals to find housing for and provide outpatient treatment and supervision of sexually violent predators.) Liberty Healthcare attempted to find housing for Wollschlager in Sacramento County, but protests by residents last month forced Liberty to look elsewhere. Residents in north Joshua Tree were notified Wednesday by Sheriff’s deputies that Wollschlager may be moving to the area of Aberdeen and Border Avenues. Wollschlager has no ties to Joshua Tree or San Bernardino County.
Sheriff John McMahon, Sheriff’s Captain Trevis Newport, Supervisor Dawn Rowe, and the District Attorney’s office will hold a meeting Monday, October 21, at 5:30 p.m. in the Sportsman’s Club, 6225 Sunburst Street in Joshua Tree. They will present information about the release of convicted child rapist Ross Wollschlager into Joshua Tree, and voice their opposition to his placement.
A final determination of Wollschlager’s placement will be at a hearing in Ventura County on November 7.
Press release from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office:
Ross Leo Wollschlager is a convicted rapist and child molester from Ventura County, California. A Ventura County judge now proposes to drop this declared sexually violent predator into San Bernardino County. San Bernardino County DA Jason Anderson, Sheriff John McMahon, and county law enforcement strongly objects to Joshua Tree being a dumping site for a sexual predator with no connections to our county. A final determination of this predator’s placement will be made in Ventura County Superior Court, Courtroom 13, on November 7, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. The Ventura County Superior Court is located at 800 South Victoria Road, Ventura, California.
San Bernardino County law enforcement has been notified that a Sexually Violent Predator from Ventura County may be released in Joshua Tree. This person, Ross Leo Wollschlager, has no ties to San Bernardino County. His crimes were committed in Ventura County. His prior grants of outpatient treatment and subsequent revocations of his outpatient status occurred in Ventura County. If he is to be released, San Bernardino County law enforcement thinks he should remain in Ventura County.
Ross Leo Wollschlager committed multiple rapes and child molestation. He has crept into homes of his victims late at night after first peeping in on them. Once inside, he would find his prey sleeping, and then commit rape. In 1983, Wollschlager was charged with four counts of rape, and convicted by his guilty plea of two counts of rape. After serving his sentence, he was paroled in 1987.
After his release from prison for rape, Wollschlager sexually assaulted a child, a 10-year-old girl asleep in her bed in her family’s home. Her 9-year-old niece slept nearby. The girls tried to stop the sexual assault without success. Their screams awoke family members. They drove Wollschlager away. He was caught and convicted of committing lewd acts on a child. A Ventura County judge returned him to state prison.
Thereafter, because of his record, he was formally declared a Sexually Violent Predator under the state Welfare & Institutions Code in Ventura County and committed to the Department of State Hospitals for treatment from Ventura County.
On January 31, 2019, however, Judge Nancy Ayers of Ventura County Superior Court ordered Liberty Healthcare to assist in the conditional release of Ross Wollschlager into the community. (Liberty Healthcare is the organization contracted with the Department of State Hospitals to find housing for and provide outpatient treatment and supervision of Sexually Violent Predators.)
On March 28, 2019, Judge Ayers found “extraordinary circumstances” existed to authorize placing Wollschlager outside of Ventura County. He was first scheduled to be sent to Sacramento County. After unsuccessfully attempting to place Wollschlager in Sacramento County, Judge Ayres then ordered Liberty Healthcare to consider additional counties, including San Bernardino County.
On September 19, 2019, Judge Ayers tentatively ordered Wollschlager be placed at a residence located in Joshua Tree. Law enforcement in San Bernardino County was recently informed of this, and strongly opposes taking responsibility for this Ventura County sexually violent predator. San Bernardino County DA Jason Anderson has ordered deputies of his own SVP Unit to go to Ventura County on November 7 and oppose Wollschlager’s release to our community.
Any further inquiries should be directed to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Public Affairs Division at [email protected].
Contact: Kimberly Fuller, Executive Secretary by phone at (909) 382-7714 or by email at [email protected]
