Golden Valley PD informs public of sex offender release

Clarence Opheim
Golden Valley Police Department has issued a statement to inform the public that Clarence Opheim, a civilly committed sex offender, will soon move to a halfway house in the city.
Courtesy of Golden Valley Police Department

The Golden Valley Police Department issued a statement to inform the public that a civilly committed sex offender will soon move to a halfway house in the city.

The statement from Golden Valley Police Chief Stacy Carlson indicates that the department has been notified by the Department of Corrections that Clarence Opheim will live in a halfway house in the northwest quadrant of Highway 100 and Olson Memorial Highway.

Opheim, 64, has admitted to molesting 29 children. He has been civilly committed for nearly 20 years. A Ramsey County panel of judges recently granted Opheim provisional release.

The Department of Human Services, which oversees the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, did not oppose the discharge.

State lawmakers recently passed a law, signed by Gov. Mark Dayton on Thursday, to require state officials to notify the community surrounding the halfway house where Opheim will be released to.

Golden Valley police and corrections officials will have a community notification meeting on March 5 to tell the public more about Opheim's offenses and conditions of release.

Carlson and officials with the Department of Human Services declined to provide further comment.

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