Other LanguagesPORT ORCHARD — The Attorney General’s Office filed a petition today in Kitsap County Superior Court seeking to civilly commit a Port Orchard-area sex offender and prevent his release into the community.
Ivan Hendricks, 60, was convicted of statutory rape first degree and three counts of attempted statutory rape first degree in 1987 in Kitsap County.
Prior to his scheduled release for his Washington offenses, the Attorney General’s Office petitioned to have Hendricks committed as a sexually violent predator. A judge found probable cause to detain Hendricks pending a trial on the state’s petition.
Washington’s Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) law allows the state Attorney General’s Office to petition for the civil commitment of violent sex offenders who, because of a mental abnormality and/or personality disorder, are proven likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if released.
The civil commitment petition consists of allegations that have not yet been proven in a court of law. The State of Washington has the burden to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Assistant Attorney General Rose McGillis is the lead attorney in the case.
In 1990, Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a law permitting the involuntary civil commitment of sex offenders after they serve their criminal sentences. The Attorney General’s SVP Unit was established shortly thereafter.
The SVP unit is responsible for prosecuting sex predator cases for 38 of Washington’s 39 counties (King County being the exception). In Fiscal Year 2016, the unit tried nine cases and won seven civil commitments. Two trials ended in acquittals, meaning the offenders were found to not meet the criteria to be committed as a sexually violent predator.
As of Oct. 5, 2016, 282 sexually violent predators are in the state’s Special Commitment Program.
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The Office of the Attorney General is the chief legal office for the state of Washington with attorneys and staff in 27 divisions across the state providing legal services to roughly 200 state agencies, boards and commissions. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.
Contacts:
Peter Lavallee, Communications Director, (360) 586-0725; PeterL@atg.wa.gov