Stevan Knapp’s horrifying pattern of abuse began in the early 1970s when he was twelve years old and molested a six year old girl after dragging her into a home closet. This behavior continued through his teenage years where his juvenile record was sealed and he ultimately landed a job at Children’s Hospital in Seattle, a position that gave him daily access to vulnerable, unsuspecting children. It’s chilling to think that a man who would later be deemed a Sexually Violent Predator had free rein in an environment meant to heal and protect. Knapp’s heinous acts went unnoticed for years, as he preyed on countless children during his time as a hospital employee, leaving a legacy of trauma in his wake. Although these early abuses were not the ones for which he was later convicted, served prison time and then ultimately civilly committed for, they were the start of a dangerous pattern that would span decades leaving over 800 victims in his wake. Knapp’s ability to remain undetected for so long speaks to the grave failures in protecting children from someone who was already exhibiting clear signs of predatory behavior, raising the alarm about how we safeguard our communities—especially when individuals like Knapp are released back into society.
Empowerment often begins with the small actions we take, even when we feel powerless to effect monumental change. Not everyone can lead a movement or craft legislation, but each of us can still make a statement—whether it’s displaying an American flag to show patriotism, placing a political sign in our yard to support a cause, or hanging a Pride flag to advocate for equality. For some, it’s a sign protesting the placement of a civilly committed, convicted child rapist in our neighborhood without our knowledge. These gestures may seem simple, but they are profound acts of advocacy. In a nation built on the freedom to voice our beliefs, these individual actions are what bind us together and remind us that we have the power to stand up for what’s right, even in the face of adversity.
On Feb. 9, 2023, nearly 1,000 concerned residents from the Enumclaw plateau gathered at Wabash Church to confront alarming news: Stevan Knapp, a convicted Sexually Violent Predator, had been quietly moved into a Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA) home in their community just three weeks earlier. The King County Sheriff’s Office organized the town hall to inform the public and allow space for questions, but what most attendees didn’t know was that the room was filled with 26 armed officers, including snipers, prepared to defend the state officials on stage from an understandably upset and fearful community. The atmosphere was tense as families, parents, and neighbors sought answers as to why they weren’t notified sooner and how a man with Knapp’s history of predatory behavior had been placed in such close proximity to their homes and children.
Community members quickly realized that safeguarding themselves and their children was their sole responsibility, as state officials made it clear they weren’t willing to prioritize community safety. This became glaringly obvious when a victim’s advocate from the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center stood at the podium, pointed into the audience, and said, “The onus of keeping your kids safe is on you.” Her statement, met with outrage because it confirmed what we already feared: no one else was going to protect us. Not the state, not the governor, and certainly not the agencies responsible for placing a Sexually Violent Predator into our community without warning. It was a stark moment of realization that while bureaucratic systems seemed focused on SVPs’ legal rights, the safety of local families were being overlooked.
The plateau community swiftly formed the non-profit Save Our Children Enumclaw with the goal of raising funds for a legal battle to challenge the unsafe placement of the Garden House Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA). United in purpose, our mission was to ensure that Sexually Violent Predators like Stevan Knapp would not remain in our midst without adequate community protections. We were not alone in this effort. The Muckleshoot Tribal Council, equally alarmed by Knapp’s presence, took swift action by formally banning him from all tribal lands. It was clear that if state officials weren’t going to prioritize our safety, we would have to stand together and take proactive steps to protect ourselves and our community.
The Garden House LRA, owned by Rick Minnich and Jill Rockwell, quickly became a focal point of concern. It was discovered that Minnich, who also owns a polygraph company, had personally conducted at least six polygraph exams on Stevan Knapp prior to his placement in the home. Minnich and Rockwell were being paid over $7,800 per month by the state to provide housing for SVP Knapp with no staff a no security. This glaring conflict of interest raised serious ethical questions, as Minnich held multiple state contracts that financially benefited him through the same system that placed Knapp in Enumclaw. When Save Our Children Enumclaw called out this blatant self-enrichment scheme, the Attorney General’s Office was quick to step in — not to address the conflict, but to defend the actions of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). This troubling response from state authorities only deepened our distrust and solidified our commitment to holding those in power accountable.
Meanwhile, the failures at the Garden House began to mount, exposing how poorly the system was being managed. During a routine visit by a Department of Corrections officer, a weapon was discovered in Stevan Knapp’s possession—a clear violation of his release conditions. Phone records further revealed that former SVP Randy Tollefson, had been visiting Knapp at the home, which was strictly prohibited. Despite these serious infractions, neither the presence of a hand-made weapon nor the unsanctioned visits were reported by the owners of the Garden House, as legally required. This shocking breach of trust finally led to Knapp’s removal from the Enumclaw property and his return to the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island.
In the weeks that followed, many of you wrote letters and offered testimony during court hearings, urging the state not to allow Knapp to return to the Garden House. Ultimately, a King County Superior Court judge ruled that the Garden House was an unsuitable placement for any Sexually Violent Predator. While this was a significant victory for our community, it is far from over, as the larger issues surrounding SVP placements and community notification protocols remain unresolved. It wasn’t long before Knapp was relocated again, this time to Tacoma, where one can only assume his new neighbors—likely with children—are unaware of his dangerous history and violent past. The continued lack of transparency has left communities feeling unsafe and unprotected.
The state’s failure to clearly define and regulate the siting of Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA) housing has left communities like ours vulnerable to future SVP placements. Ambiguity in the law, deliberately maintained by numerous state agencies has allowed dangerous loopholes to persist. Despite this, our city has taken no action to establish zoning codes or protections against future siting of community based LRAs.
Yet, we are not powerless. Save Our Children Enumclaw has raised over $60,000, which will remain safely held in reserve for any future legal battles. This community remains vigilant. Whether it’s a sign on your property, a social media post, or showing up at a town hall, your voice matters. Your support and actions, big or small, are what keep our community safe. We thank you for refusing to forget, for refusing to let our children go unprotected, and for making our voices heard in support of all victims.
Together, we are the safeguard that our community needs.
Photo by Ray Miller-Still About a hundred people gathered in SR 164 outside Garden House, a group home for high-level sex offenders on Feb. 17, 2023, to protest and gain support to pressure the state to move sole resident Stevan Knapp, including Cathy Dahlquist (at front).
