MIDLAND, Texas — The Midland County District Attorney worked with the Special Protection Unit to make sure one convicted sexual predator wouldn't be set free in Midland County or anywhere else in the country for that matter.
"Every time we're confronted with someone who commits a sexual act against anybody, a violent act against anybody, that effects our community because we have victims, we have family members of victims and so there are some that are more dangerous than others," said Laura Nodolf, District Attorney for Midland County.
"Certain individuals have mental abnormalities that outpatient treatment isn't sufficient enough to protect the community, and in those instances we then seek a civil commitment so that its in the best interest of our community because we wan to keep sexually violent offenders from coming back to midland and potentially reoffending."
In March of 2011, Robert Baker was charged with attempted sexual assault and Burglary of a Habitation with the Intent to Commit Sexual Assault two separate times. While Baker was in jail, he had over 30 sexual misconduct cases, which ended in a civil commitment.
"Individuals who are waiting their release from prison have two or more convictions for sexually violent offenses and they are found to have a behavioral abnormality, that makes them likely to engage in an act of predatory violence, they can be subject to civil commitment," said Erin K. Faseler, Chief with the Special Prosecution Unit.
Baker will be required to reside in the civil commitment center in Littlefield, Texas.
"These types of proceedings really help us to ensure that we are protecting our citizens from anybody else becoming a victim and not just in midland, it prevents them from going to another county and potentially victimizing somebody there," Nodolf said.
The Midland County District Attorney's Office hopes to continue to work with the special prosecution unit to get even more predators put away in a civil commitment in the future.