Notorious Serial Rapist Ronald Love Released From Washington Prison

A notorious serial rapist and psychopath has walked free from one of Washington state's most infamous detention facilities. The man, who preyed on both men and women at random, is now back on the streets. As required by law, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office announced in a news release on Monday that Ronald "Ronnie" D. Love, 69, a registered Level 3 sex offender, is living in Spokane County again.

Love committed a brutal spree of attacks on strangers. His crimes were so disturbing they led to his confinement at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island following his prison sentence. The repeat offender started young, convicted at age 16 for raping a six-year-old boy while living in California. Two years later, in 1975, he sodomized another boy and attempted to rape a girl, according to court records.

In 1978, Love broke into the homes of two women in California and raped them in separate attacks on the same night. He pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible rape and received nearly five years in prison. After being released on parole, he landed back behind bars for another six years following a burglary conviction.

In 1990, Love moved to Pasco, Washington, to live with his parents, yet his violent behavior continued. He attacked a 19-year-old man in a park, beating him and attempting to rape him, according to The Spokesman-Review. He was convicted of attempted rape in 1991 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. When his prison sentence was nearly over, the state filed a petition to commit Love to McNeil Island's correctional facility, deeming him a danger to the public.

In 2013, Love tried to secure his release, citing declining health and involvement in Native American religious and healing practices. His arguments were enough to secure another trial, but prosecutors maintained that he remained a serious threat. It is unclear when Love was eventually released or why he was even allowed to leave.

His Level 3 classification is Washington's highest risk designation for registered sex offenders, reserved for those considered most likely to reoffend. Authorities have not disclosed where in Spokane County Love is staying. The public deserves answers about how regulations and government directives allow a man with such a history to return to the community without oversight.