Pursuant to state law, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday notified the public of a convicted sexually violent predator who is now living in Durango.
Steven Jeffery Ashburn, 42, has been released from the Colorado Department of Corrections and is now living at Days End, 2202 Main Ave., according to a news release issued by the Sheriff’s Office.
Ashburn was convicted of sexual assault with the use of a weapon in March 2010 in La Plata County. He was identified as a sexually violent predator following a psychological evaluation and a ruling by a judge.
Ashburn, is described as a white man, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
He must register with the Sheriff’s Office every three months for life.
He is currently under the supervision of Tina Beekman with the Colorado State Patrol office. He is being monitored by a GPS tracker and is restricted from being around any location where anyone younger than 18 is located.
Residents are advised not to retaliate against sexual-assault offenders. Doing so is illegal and counterproductive, authorities say. Offenders are closely monitored, but harassing them can drive them underground and make them stop registering as sex offenders, making it harder for authorities to track their progress.
As of Wednesday, there were at least four convicted sexually violent predators and 157 sexual assault offenders living in La Plata County, according to an online sex-offender registry.
shane@durangoherald.com
