Convicted child molester Jeffrey Snyder arrested at Fresno hotel

Jeffrey Snyder, the Fresno man convicted of child molestation who won his freedom after being housed since 2006 in a state hospital for sexually violent predators, was arrested Friday for allegedly violating the terms of his conditional release.

Snyder could return to Coalinga State Hospital.

Fresno police arrested Snyder on Friday at his court-designated home, the El Muir Motel on G Street, on a civil warrant obtained by Liberty Healthcare, Sgt. Israel Reyes said. Liberty Healthcare has a contract with the California Department of State Hospitals to find homes for sexually violent predators once they are released from confinement.

Reyes said Snyder did not commit a sex assault and was taken into custody for violating his terms of release. "There is no public safety issue," he said.

Joseph Perry, 39, who has lived at the motel for more than a year, said Saturday that he never saw Snyder as violent or "out of the ordinary."

The two occasionally waved to each other, but Snyder mostly kept to himself, Perry said.

"It was a little concerning at first (when Snyder moved in), but there's no children around here so this is probably a safe place (where officials) can probably place somebody," Perry said.

Snyder's release was a hot-button issue in Fresno County. He originally was billed to live in Squaw Valley, but residents opposed the move and the home eventually burned down. Authorities also wanted to place Snyder at a home in northwest Fresno, but once the address was made public neighbors protested and the owner declined to rent to Snyder. Fresno Superior Court Judge Gary Hoff also received nearly 75 letters from residents who told him that many children lived in the neighborhood and they feared Snyder would re-offend.

Court records say Snyder, who grew up in Fresno, began molesting boys, nearly 10 of them, starting in 1979. He has lived most of his life behind bars.

He was confined in Coalinga State Hospital with hundreds of other sexually violent predators who have finished their prison sentences but are deemed so dangerous that they must remain locked up.

Snyder earned his freedom in March 2016 during a court hearing when he acknowledged his wrongdoing and showed remorse for his victims. He had also completed intensive treatment programs.

In his ruling back then, Hoff said Snyder, who has been diagnosed with abnormal sexual desires, typically involving extreme or dangerous activities, still is a sexually violent predator. But Hoff found Snyder could be released to a house, apartment or motel under strict conditions.

This story was originally published March 16, 2018 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Convicted child molester Jeffrey Snyder arrested at Fresno hotel."