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TONY RACKAUCKAS l ORANGE COUNTY E31STRIC`I" A`T'TORNEY ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE 401 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE WEST • SANTA ANA, CA 92701 (714) 834-3636 November 15, 2011 Mayor Peter Herzog City of Lake Forest 25550 Commercentre Drive Suite 100 Lake Forest, CA 92630 Re: Orange County Sex Offender Ordinance Dear Mayor Herzog: Thank you for taking a large step toward increasing public safety by considering enacting an ordinance in your city to prohibit registered sex offenders from entering parks where ,hildren regularly gather- I understand that at the urging of Councilman Scott Voights, the Council has voted to agendize this issue at a later date to discuss this very important topic to protect children in Lake Forest. As I wrote to you previously, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a County ordinance on April 5, 2011, to create child safety zones to protect children from sexual predators in parks, playgrounds and beaches. Many other cities have either enacted or in the process of enacting their own ordinance to protect children from sexual predators. Yesterday, Hugo Godinez was convicted in a court trial for violating the Orange County Codified Child Safety Zone Ordinance 3-18-1. He is required to required to register as a sex offender for life because he was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery on June 23, 2010- On Aug. 16, 2010, and May 2, 201 1, Godinez signed two Department of Justice forms acknowledging he understood the terms and conditions of his registration. On the same date, Godinez met with a deputy probation officer to discuss Ordinance 3-18-1 pertaining to restricting registered sex offenders' access to locations where children regularly gather such as Orange County parks. The defendant signed a copy of the Ordinance. On May 5, 2011, at around 10:53 a.m., Hugo Godinez entered Mile Square Regional Park in the City of Fountain Valley. This park is known to be a gathering place for families on holidays. The 20-acre park includes two lakes, three 18- hole golf courses, archery range, baseball and softball fields, and picnic shelters. There is 55 acre recreation center with tennis courts, basketball courts, racquetball courts, a gymnasium, the Kingston Boys & Girls Club, and a community center. On this particular date, there were many people, including children, celebrating Cinco de Mayo. The defendant did not leave the park until 2 p.m. There were VeriTracks Global Positioning Satellite System prints out showing the defendant's movements. He later admitted to an Orange County Sheriff's Deputy on the Sex Offender Notification and registration (SONAR) detail that he went to Mile Square regional Park and stayed at the Park for several hours while knowing he was not supposed to be there and knowing it was wrong. He will be sentenced on November 17, 2011. 5OA-3