Sheriff protests classification of returning sex offender

Gary Caughey

Curry County Sheriff John Bishop isn’t happy with at least one condition of Caughey’s release – that he’s classified as a sex offender, not a predatory sex offender, which limits what the public can be told.

Caughey has been convicted three times for kidnapping or assault against young women.

“My beef is not that he’s been paroled; it’s that he’s not listed as a predatory sex offender,” Bishop said Monday. “That ties our hands on what we can do to notify the public and protect them.”

According to state law, authorities can release more information about a predatory sex offender, such as specific street address and what kind of car he drives, than that of a non-predatory sex offender. 

Caughey did not have a residence as of late Tuesday, Bishop said.

Bishop disagreed with the Oregon Department of Correction’s assessment that Caughey, now 69, was not a predatory sex offender.

“The reason is because the statistics show the high propensity of reoffending,” Bishop said.

Bishop recently attended a law enforcement conference during which most of his peers believed there is a high rate of recidivism among predatory sex offenders, no matter what kind of treatment they receive.

Jeremiah Stromberg, executive director of the Oregon Board of Parole and Post Prison Supervision, understood Bishop’s concerns.

“The sheriff is aware of Mr. Caughey. That’s a good thing,” Stromberg said. “It means he will be keeping an eye on the parolee and keep him accountable.”

All of Caughey’s crimes occurred outside of Curry County, Stromberg said.

Caughey’s criminal history dates back to 1959 when, at the age of 18, he was convicted of stealing a vehicle. In 1971, he was convicted of assault and battery of a 17-year-old girl in Lane County. In 1973 he was convicted of kidnapping and raping another 17-year-old girl in Lincoln County.

In 1976, Caughey escaped from the Oregon State Hospital and traveled to Omaha, Neb., where he was convicted of abducting two children from a parking lot, tying one to a tree and choking the other.

After serving an 8-year prison term in Nebraska, Caughey was returned to Oregon State Penitentiary to finish out his sentence for the 1973 conviction. 

He was paroled in July 1986 and on the same day he was released from prison he abducted a girl at knife-point, forcing her into his vehicle. The girl escaped unharmed and Caughey was arrested during a routine traffic stop.

“His MO (mode of operation) is to abduct minors with the intent to rape,” Stromberg said.

Caughey’s current sentence was set to end in March of 2023. However, according to state law, he can be released early for good behavior, a condition which he has met, Stromberg said.

“The parole board has no authority to hold Caughey any longer as he earned his good time and must be released,” he said.

Caughey had a psychological evaluation in 2007, at which time it was recommended that if he were to be released that he complete sexual offender treatment and stay away from alcohol, Stromberg said.

Last year, Caughey underwent a “Pre-Release Predatory Designation Evaluation” that, while it didn’t find him to be “rehabilitated,” recommended that he not be designated as predatory, Stromberg said.

Still, Caughey is classified as a sex offender and as such is required to register with the Oregon State Police.

Conditions of his parole require that he lives in Curry County, where he will be closely monitored by the Curry County Parole and Probation Department. He is scheduled to be on post-prison supervision until at least March 18, 2011.

Other conditions include no drugs or alcohol, no contact with victims, no contact with minors, no entry to where children congregate, regular mental health evaluations, ongoing sex offender treatment, and a curfew.

When a sex offender leaves prison, state law allows the Curry County Sheriff’s Department to release information about his crimes to “enhance public safety and protection.”

After learning of Caughey’s release, Bishop issued a public statement Tuesday.

“I disagree with the state Department of Corrections in its assessment of Mr. Caughey and not labeling him as a predatory sex offender, but I understand that, according to state law, they have done what is required in their assessment,” Bishop said.

He added, “I am committed to working closely with the community to ensure that public safety is maintained while the Parole and Probation Department works with Mr. Caughey to see that he is safely integrated into society.

“This notification is not intended to increase fear,” Bishop said. “Rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.”

Caughey is described as being a 6-foot, 2-inch tall white man weighing 190 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.