Freed Sex Predator Passes Treatment Test First Release Under Program, 20-Year Inmate Gets High Marks

The first sex offender to be released after treatment at the state’s Special Commitment Center received praise - and an easing of restrictions - at his first annual review Friday.

Joseph Aqui, 45, spent nearly 20 years in prison for rape and burglary, and he admitted to 15 rapes and seven attempted rapes. A state parole board found him eligible for release in October 1992, but prosecutors moved to have him declared a sexual predator, and he was ordered into civil commitment in November 1993.

A 1990 state law allows indefinite commitment of people convicted of sex crimes after they have served their sentences, if a civil jury deems them violent sexual predators who are likely to reoffend.

Aqui underwent treatment and was released from civil commitment on Jan. 27, 1997.

For the past year, he has been living in College Place, near Walla Walla, with his wife and their two young children under strict rules set by King County Superior Judge Larry Jordan.

The conditions include 24-hour electronic monitoring and random searches. Aqui is not allowed to leave the house except for activity approved by his parole officer and must be supervised by “approved monitoring adults” whenever he is outside the home.

Friday, Aqui’s lawyers asked Jordan to ease some of those restrictions.

Attorneys David Hirsch and Chris Jackson praised Aqui’s actions since his release and said the modifications they requested were in the interest of making life easier for Aqui’s family.

“The good news is we’re talking about minor details,” Hirsch said. “There is general agreement that Mr. Aqui is doing very well on the conditions.”

Jordan granted several requests, saying Aqui’s hard work since his release allows for leniency.

“The court has seen good progress from you,” Jordan said, adding that minor changes to Aqui’s release conditions did not amount to a loosening of restrictions.

“These conditions are still onerous,” he said.

Among other things, Jordan approved of Aqui going on a trip to Hawaii next summer to visit family, provided that arrangements can be worked out with authorities in that state.

Other amendments include providing a 20-minute window before and after the specified time Aqui is to return from an outing.

Community corrections officer Stan Grabinski of Walla Walla said Aqui’s hypersensitive electronic monitoring system was constantly setting off alarms, usually when Aqui arrived home early, rather than late.

Aqui also will be allowed to have unsupervised contact with children who come to visit his own children, with approval from Grabinski.

“I wouldn’t have agreed to that if he had any history of offending with children,” said Don Porter, a deputy prosecutor.

Jordan granted a request to allow Aqui to help his wife drive when he and his family travel across the state to visit relatives in Snohomish. Aqui surrendered his driver’s license as a condition of his release.

Porter and Grabinski opposed Aqui’s request to be allowed to drive to and from therapy, citing his criminal pattern, which included “cruising” for victims. Aqui withdrew the request.

Jordan denied a request by defense lawyers to remove supervision by the Special Commitment Center at the state reformatory at Monroe and restrict evaluation to Aqui’s own therapist, Dr. Stephen Rubin.

Aqui offered a brief statement after the hearing.

“Last time I appeared, (the judge) said, ‘It’s in your hands.’ I’ve taken that literally,” he said.

Aqui said the conditions seemed like too much to bear in the beginning.

“At first I thought, ‘Wow, what a heavy load.’ In retrospect, I’m glad those conditions were placed on me,” he said, adding that the conditions combine rules with “a growing sense of responsibility.”