Convicted Rapist Released, Then Held As Predator

Child rapist Roger Charles Bishop was released from the state penitentiary on Thursday and taken into custody by police from King County, pending civil commitment proceedings against him.

Bishop, 44, was convicted 18 years ago of the statutory rape of a 10-year-old boy in Seattle.

Bishop planned to live with his parents in a Portland suburb when he was released from prison. But when West Linn residents learned of his plans, they asked King County Executive Gary Locke to intervene.

Locke said he asked the state Indeterminate Sentence Review Board to forward the Bishop case to Prosecutor Norm Maleng for review under the Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Act.

Maleng’s office on Thursday filed a petition for civil commitment, contending that Bishop is a sexually violent predator.