Neighbors Rejoice as Rapist Returns to Jail--for Now

A convicted rapist has been arrested for allegedly threatening one of the protesters who for weeks have been picketing his residence in an effort to force him to leave their Garden Grove neighborhood.

Police accompanied a state parole officer who took Eldon Merle West into custody Monday at the home of Tally Richardson, West’s former wife. A handcuffed West was hustled past picketers and into a waiting car as police officers stood guard Monday evening.

The house in the 9400 block of Melba Drive has been the focus of protests each day since the first week of March, when neighbors discovered that West, a registered sex offender, was living there.

“This is too good to be true,” protester Robin Flores said Tuesday. “I hope he stays away.”

West is being held at the California Institution for Men in Chino pending a parole hearing that by law must take place by May 11.

Steve Goya, regional parole administrator for the California Department of Corrections, declined to comment on possible parole violations by West, but a department spokeswoman said West was arrested for making threats to a protester.

Garden Grove police officials said they didn’t know the nature of the violation, but they did forward to parole officials a report about West having made vague threats to one protester.

Aside from the nightly protests by as many as a dozen people carrying signs and shouting, Richardson’s home was pelted with eggs. A ladder she had used to remove “Rapist” signs hung in her trees was stolen but returned the next day. One protester was arrested March 16 on suspicion of assaulting a supporter of West. Flores and other neighbors have said they heard West shout profanities at protesters and call them “prostitutes.”

West was arrested by police earlier this month on suspicion of making false reports about the protesters. He was released after the Orange County district Attorney’s office dropped the charges.

Neighbors are planning a victory celebration for Sunday but are wary that West may return to Richardson’s home if state officials determine he has not violated parole.

“Right now, it’s a victory, and we need to celebrate,” Flores said. “At least he’s behind bars for 45 days. That’s something. But we can’t let up on [Richardson] either.”

Flores and 26 other neighbors have filed small claims suits against Richardson, alleging that West’s presence has caused property values to drop. If each neighbor prevails, Richardson could be forced to pay as much as $135,000. Their suits will be heard collectively April 14 in a Westminster court.

“We can’t get away from him. We can’t even sell our homes because he was here,” Flores said. “Everyone in the neighborhood have been prisoners in their own homes. Everyone here has really suffered.”

Goya wouldn’t say whether West would return to Richardson’s home if the parole violation charge is dismissed. Goya did say it was the state’s mission to return convicts to the community of their last legal residence and that the parole department would work with the community to resolve the situation.

But Flores, who will meet with parole officials Friday, responded: “There’s not going to be any compromise. He’s not welcome here.”

“The children today are able to go out and play on the street for the first time in 26 days,” she said. “[If West returns], it will start up all over again.”