Attorney General's News Release

October 6, 2008

Buchanan County judge commits Savannah man as sexually violent predator

St. Joseph, Mo. - A judge in Buchanan County on Friday (Oct. 3) found Roger Wooten of Savannah 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 Wooten (DOB - 12/18/65) committed as an SVP due to his 1993 conviction in Buchanan County for sodomy involving a nine-year old boy, for which he received 15 years in prison. A petition for civil commitment was filed Oct. 26, 2007, and Wooten was committed as an SVP after his stipulation to the judge.

"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 109 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.