Warning issued on sex offender Warning issued on sex offender (August 20, 2004)

Police flier tells of ex-con's move into MV neighborhood

By David Herbert

After being notified by police that a high-risk sex offender has moved into their neighborhood, some Montecito Avenue area residents are becoming worried.

Hector Chavez, 46, recently moved into an apartment complex on the 2000 block of Montecito Ave. In 1979, Chavez was convicted of residential burglary and raping a 24-year-old female occupant. He was convicted again in 1989 after he befriended a 42-year-old woman in a bar and then sexually assaulted her using his fists and a knife.

Chavez is classified as a "high risk" sex offender because law enforcement officials judge him to be a possible repeat criminal.

"My first reaction was that I wanted to purchase a gun," said a female resident of the complex Chavez now resides in at 2047 Montecito Ave., who declined to give her name out of fear.

"My friend wants to install an alarm (in my apartment)," she continued, adding that the complex is home to a substantial number of single women who live alone. And while she was glad the police told her a sex offender had moved into the area, she didn't think the public notification went far enough.

A flier that gives Chavez's name, physical description, vehicle description, crimes and block of residence was distributed by police to residents of the apartment complex where he lives now. It does not state when his previous crimes occurred, where his last place of residence was or what his exact address is. The unnamed female resident wasn't aware that Chavez lived in her complex at 2047 Montecito until told by the Voice since the police had just told her he lived "nearby."

"They give you a flier that says 'sexual predator' and then move him next door," said Guido Zvigzne, another resident of the complex. "I'm not sure what we're supposed to do."

Mountain View Police spokesperson Jim Bennett noted that there were legal limitations on what information the police could provide, but defended the protocol to notify residents despite its possible shortcomings.

"We believe very strongly in the importance of community notification," he said. "We're very fortunate in California to have Megan's Law. The best way to protect people is to make them aware when a sex offender is living in that community."

Chavez was released from prison in 1995 and since then has lived in a number of South Bay cities, most recently San Jose. He is not wanted by authorities, nor is he on parole or probation.

Despite his prior record, not everyone is panicking.

"It makes you a little nervous, but I'm just going about things normally," Zvigzne said. "Hopefully, he'll be a good neighbor."

E-mail David Herbert at dherbert@mv-voice.com

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