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Self-Proclaimed Pedophile Goes Free

By GREG RISLING,
AP
Posted: 2007-08-22 10:00:31
Filed Under: Crime News, Nation News
LOS ANGELES (Aug. 22) - A self-described pedophile was released from jail Tuesday after prosecutors dropped a criminal case accusing him of violating a judge's order prohibiting him from being within 30 feet of children anywhere in California for three years.

Photo Gallery: A Continuing Controversy

Karen Tapia-Andersen, AP

Self-described pedophile Jack McClellan is arraigned in Los Angeles Tuesday for allegedly violating a state court order to stay at least 30 feet away from children for three years. Charges were dropped later that day.

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Prosecutors could not pursue the case against Jack McClellan, 45, after they determined the order was invalid because the judge failed to schedule and give McClellan proper notice of a hearing required to argue the merits of imposing such a long-lasting order before it is issued.

McClellan was arrested Aug. 13 for investigation of violating the order when he was found near a child care center at the University of California, Los Angeles. He had a camera with him at the time, but he told a local TV station that there wasn't any film in it.

McClellan was arrested again - several hours later - this time for trespassing after he did an interview with the TV station on university grounds. He had been told not to return to the campus after his first arrest. Prosecutors did not pursue the trespassing charges.

Superior Court Judge Melvin Sandvig issued the order Aug. 3 requiring McClellan to stay at least 30 feet away from every person under age 18 in California for a three-year period, said Nick Velasquez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney's office.

A three-year order amounts to what is termed a preliminary injunction, and cannot be issued without the statutory hearing and notice requirements, according to the city attorney's office.

Superior Court spokeswoman Pat Kelly said Sandvig could not comment because the case is pending. A call to his chambers went unanswered late Tuesday.

A cell phone message left for McClellan was not returned.

McClellan is unemployed and has been living out of his car. He stirred controversy in Southern California when he arrived this summer from Washington state, where he had lived with his parents.

McClellan maintained a Web site in Washington where he posted photos of children he had taken in public places. He also discussed how he liked to stake out parks, public libraries, fast-food restaurants and other areas where little girls, or "LGs," congregated.

His server took his Web site down more than a month ago. McClellan, who said he lives on supplemental security income and suffers from depression, has maintained that he launched the site as a form of therapy and wouldn't do anything illegal.

McClellen also has a hearing set for Friday on a temporary restraining order preventing him from coming within 10 yards of children in the city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, authorities said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-08-22 00:42:04
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 4333
4333 comments

herserydoll20 06:24:00 PM Jan 22 2008

I think that people should know what is going on with the legal systems. What is next? Someone or something have to happen to someone children for something to be done? I mean this guy have really nothing to look for at this time.

usafmom8386 10:28:56 AM Aug 28 2007

Type your own commCell phones you know there are these sick people finding cell phone numbers to your children as we speak. Facebook is another place kids go to tell it all. Man join the site even my space and look at what you find. Teenage girls in thongs guys in provocative positions. Sick doesn't even cover it! I'm sure the attention is great on this ONE man of many. There is 1055 comments on this subject how great it would to be to have 1000 at least of you people to be invovled keeping an eye out for others that are out there. My children are my life and it scares the hell out of me with the way this world is going. I have two boys that are deployed fighting for our country and the anger they deal with each day from people that don't want them there. I hope the anger does not take my childrens life. Whether these people are angry about about one thing or another it's still built up anger. I am very proud of them. Yet scard for them. We need to keep eyes and ears out

rolyek2 08:15:52 AM Aug 26 2007

Well I am glad that his face is now very public...maybe someone will "punish" him if seen around their kid!

BFTQPON 08:44:00 PM Aug 25 2007

THIS GUY SAY'S HE'S NOT TOUCHED A CHILD BUT ADVOCATES PEDOPHILES.
IS THIS NOT THE SAME AS TOUCHING AND RAPING A CHILD WITHOUT CONTACT?

MAY OUR LEGAL SYSTEMS SLOW DOWN AND DO THEIR JOB MORE THOUGHLY SO THAT NO LOOP HOLES OR A TECHNICALITY THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO GO FREE.....

stocksshocks 10:07:32 AM Aug 24 2007

This is disgusting. Criminals have more rights than families. It's enough to give a person an ulcer.

bigsteam 01:21:44 PM Aug 23 2007

and your child can go to school and be 14 years old, meet an 18 year old and have all the sex they want and you cant do anything about it because its "Consentual". As a parent I have encountered this with my daughter who was an Honor Roll student and now is failing....I drive her to school and make sure she gets in, go to work and find she has been out all day with an 18 year old and skipped school. Police dont want to be involved, you get them psychiatric help and it doesnt help much...there is no way you can live anymore...you have to work to provide them with a roof over their heads ...but you may have to home school....there are more predators then outsiders...

athenaalp3863 12:18:05 PM Aug 23 2007

Some of you people should not own computers. I suppose it's a good thing that while online, we are mostly incognito, otherwise everyone would know just how ridiculous and stupid you sound

lmcdaniel37923 10:28:00 AM Aug 23 2007

-continued

You can watch your children every minute they are in your care but they must go to school and you must trust the school's ability to be as diligent as you are in protecting them. If the courts will not/cannot protect our children, parents will have no alternative but to school them at home and eliminate any threats to them as efficiently as possible. As a parent, we have the responsibility to protect that child at all cost. Maybe I am no longer capable of understanding right and wrong.... this seems right to me... am I wrong to believe I have a responsibility to protect my child from predators? It could be a decent defense.

lmcdaniel37923 10:28:00 AM Aug 23 2007

-continued

You can watch your children every minute they are in your care but they must go to school and you must trust the school's ability to be as diligent as you are in protecting them. If the courts will not/cannot protect our children, parents will have no alternative but to school them at home and eliminate any threats to them as efficiently as possible. As a parent, we have the responsibility to protect that child at all cost. Maybe I am no longer capable of understanding right and wrong.... this seems right to me... am I wrong to believe I have a responsibility to protect my child from predators? It could be a decent defense.

lmcdaniel37923 10:27:00 AM Aug 23 2007

Pedophiles have almost no likelihood of changing. That is statistical and well documented. Just as heterosexuals are not likely to stop being attracted to the opposite sex and homosexuals are not likely to stop being attracted to the same sex, pedophiles almost never stop being attracted to children. Methods to control their behavior regarding children is typically unsuccessful.

The fact that this guy is telling the world that he is attracted to children is a clear cry for help. Maybe he's sick of being broke and homeless and would prefer a jail cell. I never thought I'd like jail so, to me at least, that seems like a last resort effort. I'm neither, broke, homeless nor a pedophile so I can't imagine how he thinks.

As the mother of 4 adult children, I know that I would have been murderous if my child had been molested and if I knew that the molester had warned the world that he was capable and the world ignored his warning, he would not have been the only target of my wrath. Y

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