A convicted sex offender is out of jail and has returned to his
hunting grounds, according to local residents who spotted him in
their neighborhood recently.
Morgan Hill – A convicted sex offender is out of jail and has returned to his hunting grounds, according to local residents who spotted him in their neighborhood recently.
Daniel Duran, 42, of San Jose has a history of violent sexual attacks. He was arrested on April 4 on a charge of being a registered sex offender on school grounds without lawful business. He was booked into Santa Clara County Jail and was released on Aug. 13.
Residents on Morgan Avenue in west Morgan Hill reported Duran was in the area this weekend, according to Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing. He was seen driving a green Honda Prelude, allegedly soliciting construction jobs and watching a child in the neighborhood for approximately 10 minutes.
After leaving his business card at a home under construction, residents said, Duran, who was convicted of forcible rape in 1988 and assault with intent to commit rape in 1999, offered to help a homeowner with home repair projects. He also asked the homeowner about purchasing a nearby home.
Swing said one of the residents who is a realtor recognized Duran from prior incidents and confronted him about his presence in the neighborhood, causing him to leave. After driving a short distance away, Swing said, he was recognized again, and a neighbor of the realtor told Duran he needed to leave the city. He reportedly then left, driving north on US 101.
“What we don’t want is an opportunity for Duran to be alone inside a residence with an unsuspecting victim,” said Swing. “He has a history of violent attacks, and we are concerned about his focus on Morgan Hill, and more specifically the Dunne/Hill neighborhood.”
MHPD made a report to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office about Duran’s recent activities, and is requesting a warrant for his arrest for advertising for construction work without a business or contractor’s license.
Earlier this year, residents in Pleasanton and Gilroy, as well as Morgan Hill, complained about Duran’s behavior.
He was spotted in numerous locations around Morgan Hill during the week of March 19. Realtors reported he was loitering outside their offices and at homes for sale, saying God had “guided” him to purchase a home and asking people to pray with him.
He was seen on the Nordstrom Elementary School campus on March 21 by a maintenance worker at approximately 8:15pm. The school district employee recognized Duran’s picture in the Morgan Hill Times with a story that ran March 30. He called the Times, and the Times passed the information on to MHPD Det. Kevin Beilmann.
A warrant was issued, and he was arrested at his home in San Jose on April 4 by Beilmann, MHPD Officer David Ray and San Jose police officers.
Anyone who saw Duran in the area on Friday or Saturday or has information about Duran is asked to contact Beilmann at 776-7323 or 779-2101.
