A.V. PUTTING OUT UNWELCOME MAT FOR SEX OFFENDER.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Antelope Valley officials said Friday they will sponsor rallies and picketing to urge a serial rapist to leave Lancaster.

Andre Bradford, 41, was released from Atascadero State Prison on Sept. 18 after serving approximately 22 years on a conviction for eight home invasion rapes and six burglaries in a four-month period around San Joaquin County.

``He is not on parole and is able to live here, but I think we should make it very clear that he is not welcomed in our community,'' said Assemblyman George Runner.

Bradford was due to be classified as a high-risk sex offender upon release, a designation that would require monitoring by local law enforcement officials and allow prison officials to tell him where he could live.

But before he was released, Bradford petitioned for a reduction in his classification. A San Joaquin Valley jury concluded he should be reclassified as a serious sex offender.

State prison officials have no control over where serious sex offenders live, officials said. He still must register as a sex offender wherever he settles, which allows for the notification of people who live in the immediate neighborhood, nearby schools, hospitals and Antelope Valley College.

``I am thoroughly outraged that a jury was involved in the reduction of his risk status,'' Runner said. ``If they want to do that, then he should be their neighbor, not ours.''

Since Runner and his staff found out about Bradford's move into Lancaster about 5:15 p.m. Thursday, they have begun working on developing legislation to close the legal loophole that allowed for the reclassification.

Sheriff's deputies and volunteers will begin today handing out fliers in the area around 17th Street West and Avenue K-4.

Rallies are being planned by the newly formed Women for Community Safety group to raise awareness of Bradford's presence in the community.

``There's little chance that he will not repeat again,'' said group member Sandy Darrington.

The group cited statistics as its foundation for wanting Bradford out of the community, including the high recidivism rate among sex offenders and that most sex offenders recommit a serious crime within six months.