Attorney General's News Release

June 17, 2008

Buchanan County jury commits St. Joseph man as sexually violent predator

St. Joseph, Mo. - A jury in Buchanan County on Friday (June 13) found Mathew King to be a sexually violent predator (SVP) and committed him to the state treatment center in Farmington. Circuit Judge Daniel F. Kellogg signed the judgment and commitment order.

The office of Attorney General Jay Nixon sought to have King (DOB - 3/30/85) committed as an SVP due to his 2005 conviction in Buchanan County for sexual abuse involving a 19-year old woman, for which he received three years in prison. A petition for civil commitment was filed Jan. 4, 2008.

"My office continues to aggressively pursue the indefinite commitment of those who still pose a threat to the public safety of Missourians," Nixon said. "While these offenders are civilly committed, they can receive the treatment they need."

Those committed by the court as sexually violent predators have the right to have their cases reviewed to determine if their mental abnormality has so changed that they are not likely to commit acts of sexual violence if released.

Currently, there are 100 sexually violent predators held in civil commitment in Missouri. Sexually violent predator commitments are handled by the Public Safety Division in Nixon's Office. Missouri's sexually violent predator law took effect in January 1999.