Redding Police Department officials on Tuesday told residents not to act out against a convicted sexual predator who is once again living in their city.
Daniel Selovich, who legally changed his named to Pirate, was arrested in New Mexico back in 2010 for a Redding rape case, television station KRCR in Redding reported.
He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to prison.
Redding police told KRCR that Pirate wants to stay in their community.
“Don’t try to grab him or attack him if you see Pirate out and about,” Sgt. Todd Cogle said, according to the station. “I live here and I have loved ones here as well. I know it’s worrying to know that he is on the streets but he is a free man. You have to treat him like every other man you see on the street.”
Police said Pirate told them he doesn’t feel safe.
“He has a substantial criminal history and at this point he has paid his debt for what he’s been convicted of,” Cogle said.
After serving four years in prison, Pirate was released in 2015 and moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, according to KRCR.
The Anchorage Daily News said Pirate was accused of holding a woman captive at a remote cabin for five weeks. The alleged victim told police Pirate sexually assaulted her and beat her. The woman was rescued by a helicopter and Pirate was charged with rape and kidnapping, the newspaper reported.
Charges were dismissed shortly after the woman died of a drug overdose. Prosecutors said she was a “necessary” witness.
In 2018, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Pirate was sentenced to five years behind bars for a sex crime he committed against a woman in a wheelchair back in 2004. It’s unclear whether he served any of that sentence.
A man who lives in Fairbanks posted a video to Facebook back in December of a confrontation he had with Pirate. Thomas Bailey called Pirate a “serial rapist” and told him he needs to leave.
**WARNING: The below video contains language that some may find offensive
“I just feel like women who are victims of sexual violence needed a voice so I was telling him to get out of Alaska,” Bailey told KRCR.
On Sunday, the Redding Police Department posted Pirate’s booking photo to Facebook and said, “We are aware that Daniel Selovich (Pirate) is back in Redding. He was contacted by officers earlier in the day and is not currently wanted for any crimes.”