Barger, Whitesides and Antelope Valley Residents Oppose Proposed SVP Placement in Hi Vista

Lake Los Angeles , Calif. — Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger joined Congressman George Whitesides, Antelope Valley community leaders, and area residents outside a Hi Vista property proposed for the placement of adjudicated Sexually Violent Predator Harold Wachter to publicly oppose the placement and call on state officials to reconsider the location.

The gathering highlighted growing concerns among Antelope Valley residents and local officials about what they describe as a disproportionate concentration of Sexually Violent Predator placements in the region.

According to information presented by opponents of the placement, the Antelope Valley has received three SVP placements during the past five years, despite representing approximately four percent of Los Angeles County’s population.

Speakers called on the State of California to reconsider the proposed placement and develop a more equitable approach that does not repeatedly concentrate SVPs in the same communities.

Supervisor Barger has repeatedly opposed what she describes as the disproportionate placement of Sexually Violent Predators in the Antelope Valley. She has called on the California Department of State Hospitals to pursue a more balanced statewide approach when identifying potential locations for individuals ordered into conditional release programs.

The latest controversy involves Harold Wachter, also identified in records as Harold Watcher, 63, who is being considered for placement at a property in the Hi Vista area near Lancaster.

According to information released regarding the proposed placement, Wachter is described as a White male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing approximately 240 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

His listed prior offenses include lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age and annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age.

The proposed placement location is listed as:

45310 200th Street East Lancaster, CA 93535

Community members and elected officials opposing the placement emphasized that their concerns extend beyond this individual case. They argue that the broader issue is the repeated selection of rural Antelope Valley communities for SVP placements and are asking state officials to consider population distribution, community resources, public safety concerns, and geographic fairness when evaluating future locations.

Barger, Whitesides, community leaders, and residents are urging state officials to reconsider the Hi Vista proposal and establish a placement process that distributes responsibility more equitably throughout Los Angeles County and California.

The proposed placement remains subject to the applicable state and court review process.