London community reacts to news about high-risk offender

Published 10:56 pm Tuesday, April 12, 2011

LONDON — Feelings of fear, frustration and worry were at the forefront Tuesday during a meeting hosted by the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Department of Corrections set up to educate the public about a high-risk sex offender moving to the community.

London Township Hall was filled to capacity with at least 100 people in attendance, with additional overflow outside by people interested in finding out about Brooks Daniel Fisher, who has been cleared by the state Department of Corrections to move to London after his release from prison April 17. He is a Level 3 predatory offender.

Brooks Fisher

Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office Detective/Supervisor Chuck Malepsy and DOC officials said while they understood the concerns evident by many of the people at the meeting, they encouraged the crowd to be vigilant about what’s happening around them every day, not just when a Level 3 offender is moving to town.

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They also talked about some statistics about criminal sexual conduct and tips for protection.

Michele Murphy with the Minnesota Department of Corrections described Fisher, 50, to the crowd. She said Fisher will be moving to 903rd Avenue in London, which has a rural Glenville postal address.

In 1993, Fisher was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with an adult woman, including penetration, involving a dangerous weapon in Stearns County, Murphy said. Fisher used force and brandished a gun to gain compliance during the commission of the act, which was also an armed robbery.

The victim did not know Fisher prior to the incident.

Murphy said Fisher also committed an armed robbery at a separate business and held employees there against their will at gunpoint.

With his conviction, Fisher was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Because prisoners in Minnesota are eligible for release after two-thirds of their time, he will be released April 17.

Fisher’s classification as a Level 3 offender means he is someone who has a high risk of reoffending. It does not mean that he will necessarily commit a new crime, but that he is part of a group of people who are most likely to.

In Minnesota, offenders are rated based on several criteria, including the seriousness of the offense, age of the victim, prior history, number of victims, offender’s characteristics, substance abuse history and availability of community supports.

A Level 1 offender has a low risk of reoffending, while a Level 2 offender has a moderate risk of reoffending. A Level 3 offender has a high risk of reoffending. This does not mean that Level 3 offenders will necessarily commit a new crime, but that they are part of a group of people who are most likely to.

Based on the ratings of the offenders, officials know what type of notification to perform when the prisoners are released.

When a Level 1 offender is released, law enforcement agencies are called and victims and witnesses may be notified.

With a Level 2 release, more people are notified, including schools, day cares and other establishments that tend to serve potential victims.

With a Level 3 release, the entire community is notified at a public meeting, in addition to the Level 2 notifications.

Murphy said Fisher will be under correctional supervision until Sept. 24, 2018, including a team of DOC intensive supervised release agents. He will have unannounced supervision contacts and will wear a GPS device for a minimum of 90 days after being released.

Murphy noted Fisher will not be able to have Internet access, be able to go to bars or liquor stores, or own or have access to sexually explicit materials.

He will be required to have 40 hours of constructive activity a day, including employment or treatment, will be required to submit a weekly schedule and check in by phone two times a day. He must also register as a predatory offender through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension until April 16, 2021. If he has further violations the registration will be pushed back.

Murphy and Malepsy said if anyone has any concerns about Fisher’s behavior or any other suspicious behavior, they should call law enforcement. They talked about how community members play an important role in making a community safe.

Multiple people in attendance also expressed concern over the potential response time it would take for the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office to get to London, which is in the southeastern part of the county, in case of an emergency.

While Malepsy didn’t deny any problems with response time, he said he can “guarantee” the Sheriff’s Office will pick up a presence in London following this announcement.

Murphy said there are currently 82 registered predatory offenders in Freeborn County. There will be three Level 3 offenders after Fisher’s release.