Level 3 sex offender moves to South End

The Island County Sheriff’s Office is holding a meeting Monday to talk about a Level 3 sex offender who recently moved to Langley.

Jared A. Vandewerfhorst, 37, has a criminal history that includes the kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy and possession of child pornography. He must register with the sheriff’s office as a sex offender for life and is considered to be a Level 3 offender, which means he’s considered a high risk to re-offend.

Vandewerfhorst was living in the Oak Harbor area, but moved to Langley to be with family members, according to Detective Sgt. Laura Price. The move was approved by the federal prison system.

Vandewerfhorst pleaded guilty in Lewis County in 1999 to kidnapping in the second degree with sexual motivation and second-degree assault of a child with sexual motivation.

According to the sheriff’s office, Vandewerfhorst drove to the home of his employer and tricked the man’s 11-year-old son into getting into his vehicle. Vandewerfhorst drove the child to a secluded logging road. The boy tried to get away, but Vandewerfhorst tackled him and threw the boy against the vehicle repeatedly, briefly knocking him out.

The boy repeated that he wanted to go home and Vandewerfhorst dropped him off at a small store.

Vandewerfhorst was sentenced to 41 months in prison.

After being released, Vandewerfhorst moved to the Monroe Landing Road area of North Whidbey. Federal investigators discovered he had been downloading child pornography and arrested him. He destroyed some computers and discs prior to law enforcement obtaining evidence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Vandewerfhorst was convicted of possession of child pornography in federal court and was sentenced to 168 months in prison.

The sheriff’s office held a meeting about Vandewerfhorst in 2005, after he was released from state prison and moved to Monroe Landing Road. At that time, a Department of Corrections officer said Vandewerfhorst had a long history of violating the conditions of his release.

Vandewerfhorst is currently living on the 4300 block of Douglas Street in Langley. Price said the sheriff’s office will not tolerate any harassment of him or his family.

The sheriff’s meeting is 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 23 at Langley United Methodist Church. Sheriff Mark Brown, deputies from the south precinct, Langley police officers and other officials will be at the meeting to speak about the case, answer questions and discuss child safety and sex offender laws.