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Convicted Rapist Who Moved To Carmichael From Colorado Back Behind Bars

CARMICHAEL (CBS13) - A convicted rapist living in Carmichael is no longer a threat to the community, for now, at least.

Forty-two-year-old Christopher Lawyer was arrested Monday night on a parole violation. We first brought you the story last week after learning the man had been transferred from Colorado as part of a parolee transfer program.

Just four months after moving to Carmichael, Lawyer, a parolee and classified sexually violent predator from Colorado, is back in jail.

"We did utilize his GPS monitor during this investigation as he is under 24-hour monitoring," said Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Spokesman Sgt. Shaun Hampton.

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Lawyer was arrested Sunday night for violating his parole. The Sacramento Sheriff's Department says he's required to be home by 10 p.m. every night, but over the last couple of weeks he broke curfew multiple times, they say.

"I think everyone was a little relieved when he got picked up," said nearby resident Joe Vahey.

CBS13 first spoke with Joe Vahey last Thursday, just hours after he found out the convicted rapist was living doors down from his Carmichael home. With the arrest, Vahey says there's some peace of mind in the neighborhood, but he still has questions.

Lawyer was transferred to Carmichael through a federal interstate parolee program in October, but when he was not registered on Megan's Law last Thursday, CBS13 reached out to the California Department of Justice, which oversees the sex offender registry, to ask why. Our calls and emails were not returned, but during a check on Monday, Lawyer's name had been added to Megan's Law.

"Funny how that works," said Vahey.

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Others in the community worry the ball was dropped on a person with such a dangerous past.

"He could be out tomorrow. I think it certainly takes a community and multiple voices to kind of say alright enough is enough," said Zelda Casparis who lives in the surrounding area.

For now, Vahey says he's glad Lawyer is locked up and hope he doesn't come back.

"At the end of the day, we don't want him."

The California Department of Corrections says Lawyer's curfew violations will be reviewed to determine what's next. It also said in general, a curfew violation is not considered a felony or misdemeanor. Lawyer is being held at the Sacramento County Jail and is ineligible for bail.

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