EL CAJON, Calif. – Residents in unincorporated El Cajon rallied Tuesday in hopes of forcing a judge to keep a sexually violent predator from being placed in their neighborhood.

“This isn’t just about our neighborhood; this could be happening in any neighborhood in San Diego and it’s so scary,” neighbor Sarah Thompson said.

Neighbors are making a final push to get letters of opposition to a judge ahead of a public hearing scheduled for April 20. The hearing will determine whether to place 78-year-old Douglas Badger in a supervised home on Horizon Hills Drive.

Badger, who currently is housed at Coalinga State Hospital, has been convicted of multiple offenses including child molestation, kidnapping and forcible oral copulation in concert, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. His crimes date back decades and span multiple Southern California counties, including San Diego County, the office said.

Badger is classified as a sexually violent predator, a designation for those convicted of sexually violent offenses and diagnosed with a mental disorder that makes them likely to re-offend.

Earlier this year, a judge ruled Badger could be released on outpatient status through the state’s Conditional Release Program.

But neighbors say they’re not interested in him moving into their area and have made that known with signs posted which read, “Predators not welcome.”

“Until we see that notice saying they are not going to move in here, I think we have to continue to press forward,” neighbor Amy Fago said. “We have to keep the pressure on.”

Public comments will be accepted through Friday and can be submitted by calling 858-495-3619, or emailing sdsafe@sdsheriff.org . Comments also can be mailed to: SVP Release/SAFE Task Force, 9425 Chesapeake Drive, San Diego, CA, 92123.