Vallejo Mayor Furious To Learn Violent Sex Offender Was Quietly Released As Transient

VALLEJO (CBS13) — There's strong reaction from a Northern California community after a violent sex offender was released from jail as a transient.

Fraisure Smith was released from a state hospital on Monday and will be living at a Vallejo motel for at least the next five days.

Mayor Osby Davis says people at city hall were surprised and frankly frustrated to learn Fraisure Smith would be placed in Vallejo, because nobody notified the city it was happening. The mayor sounds like he's gearing up for a fight.

"Not willing to accept the fact that we can do nothing about the fact that they dumped a sexual predator in our community," he said.

Smith's new home, for now, is a Motel 6 on Enterprise road. Residents staying at the motel said they didn't know he was there.

"Obviously, I probably would've decided not to stay here," said Charles Lee.

Attempts to place Smith in several different cities failed when neighbors fought back. In those cases, the cities were given 30 days notice. But a judge finally ordered Smith released as a transient. By law, the court didn't have to notify Vallejo.

"I believe that that was done so they would not have to notify us, because I'm sure they knew we'd object to his being present, being housed here in the City of Vallejo," Davis said.

At Tuesday's City Council meeting, one resident was emotional with her objection.

When we asked Motel 6 staff if they notified anyone of Smith's presence, they gave us a 1-800 number and kicked us off the property.

"We're gonna ask the same question: Do your other tenants know you're housing a sexual predator here with them?" Davis said. "And hopefully those people who would come to that business won't come."

According to the state, a hotel or motel can refuse housing a sexually violent predator.