Other LanguagesWALLA WALLA — Repeat convicted sex offender Maverick Lanning has agreed that he is a sexually violent predator. He will be committed indefinitely to the state’s Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island.
Lanning, 34, has been convicted of two sexually violent offenses, including first-degree child molestation in 1995 and 1996.
When Lanning was 15 years old, he was convicted of molesting a six-year-old girl. A year later, he was again caught and convicted of molesting the same girl.
He was scheduled for community release in 2010, before Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed for his civil commitment. Since then, Lanning has been detained at the Special Commitment Center awaiting trial.
The trial began on Monday, Oct. 13 but quickly ended yesterday when Lanning stipulated to commitment as a sexually violent predator. The state was represented by Assistant Attorney General James Buder.
“The Attorney General’s Office works hard to protect our communities from sexually violent predators,” said Ferguson. “I’m especially proud of the entire prosecution team for their dedication to this case over the past four years.”
Under Washington’s civil commitment law, prosecutors had to demonstrate Lanning suffers from specific mental abnormalities and/or personality disorders that cause him to have serious difficulty in controlling his dangerous behavior and make him likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence unless confined to a secure facility.
In 1990, Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a law permitting the involuntary civil commitment of sex offenders after they have served their criminal sentence. The Attorney General’s SVP Unit was established shortly thereafter.
The AGO SVP unit is responsible for prosecuting sex predator cases for 38 of Washington’s 39 counties (King County being the exception). In Fiscal Year 2014, the unit tried 14 cases, won 9 civil commitments and secured one recommitment. Three trials ended in hung juries and one trial involved an offender who was found by the jury to not meet the criteria to be committed as a sexually violent predator.
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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. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is working hard to protect consumers and seniors against fraud, keep our communities safe, protect our environment and stand up for our veterans. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.
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