Chelsea King Update: Sex Offender Stonewalling Cops (PICTURES)

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Missing

(San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.)

(Personal Photo)

SAN DIEGO (CBS/AP) A convicted sex offender remains in custody without bail after his arrest Sunday in the disappearance of 17-year-old Chelsea King. Police say he has provided them with no new information.

Photo: John Albert Gardner III.

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

In May 2000, John Albert Gardner III, from Lake Elsinore, Calif. pleaded guilty to molesting a 13-year-old female neighbor and was sentenced to six years in prison. Prosecutors say he lured the victim to his home with an offer to watch "Patch Adams," a 1998 movie starring Robin Williams.

Sheriff Bill Gore told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that the questioning of Gardner hasn't produced any leads in Chelsea King's case, who vanished on Thursday after going for a run near Lake Hodges at Rancho Bernardo Community Park in San Diego.

Photo: Chelsea King.

PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

Chelsea King's father, Brent King, pleaded for anyone with information about Gardner to come forward.

"Anybody who knows anything about the person they have in custody -- whatever you want to call him, I can't even put a word to it -- please let us know," he said.

Investigators suspect Gardner could be tied to a Dec. 27 assault on a female jogger from Colorado who fended off her attacker in the same park.

Steve Walker, a spokesman for the San Diego County district attorney's office, said a decision would be made by Wednesday about filing charges.

MEDIA
PICTURES: Chelsea King Missing
PICTURES: Chelsea King Vigil, Family Mourns

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
March 2, 2010 - Chelsea King Update: Police Find Missing Teen's Underwear, Says Mom
March 2, 2010 - Chelsea King, Poway High School Star, Remains Missing
March 1, 2010 - Chelsea King Update: Cops Fear 17-Year-Old Was Raped, Killed by Sex Offender John Gardner (PICTURES)
March 1, 2010 - Chelsea King Facebook: 45,000 Log On To Find Missing Teen (PICTURES)
March 1, 2010 - Chelsea King: Arrest of Sex Offender Doesn't Bring Missing Teen Home (PICTURES)

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by compton79 March 3, 2010 1:05 PM EST: THERE NEEDS TO BE A ONE STRIKE LAW WITH PEOPLE THAT DO THESE TYPES OF CRIMES ......SURE THEY MIGHT NOT ATTACK AGAIN FOR A LONG TIME BUT THEY WILL EVENTUALLY....IF SOMEONE IS CAPABLE OF TREATING ANOTHER PERSON THIS WAY ONCE ...THEY WILL DO IT AGAIN !!!!!! ONE STRIKE ...YOUR OUT IN MY BOOK.....IF NOT INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KEEP BEING VICTIMIZED BY THESE KINDS OF CREEPS ...SO MANY CASES HAVE PROOVED THAT IT IS A REPEAT SEX-OFFENDER...WELL THAT NEEDS TO STOP AND IF THEY RAPE / BEAT SOMONE ONCE THAT SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHANCE THEY WILL GET !!! LOCK THEM UP FOR GOOOD ....THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT BELONG IN PRISON FOREVER NOT SOMEONE THAT SMOKES WEED OR STEALS CARS ...I WOULD RATHER HAVE MY CAR STOLEN OR SEE SOMEONE SMOKE POT THEN THESE CREEPS THAT RAPE PEOPLE ..!!!! THIS JERK WILL NEVER HAVE A CHANCE TO HURT SOMEONE AGAIN ...HE SHOULD OF BEEN LOCKED UP STILL FROM THE FIRST ATTACK !!!!!!!!!!! WHEN WILL THIS LAW BE CHANGED ???????? MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THIS FAMILY ....GOD BLESS; Reply to this comment


by quotelawrence March 2, 2010 7:54 PM EST: this gets to ridiculous they need to be specific was the actual crime a lewd & lascivious act with a child, PC 288, this term molest is to vague it covers behaviors from flirtatious to rape, and the actual crime is what he was put in prison for what was it. the media needs to be specific.; Reply to this comment