Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Merle Wakefield’s criminal record is worse than anyone imagined or has so far reported. The Borrego Sun reveals a criminal record that will make any placement of this Sexual Violent Predator (SVP) in Borrego Springs more than a threat, but a guarantee that he will reoffend. Wakefield violated his parole 10 times, and every time he was released, he reoffended.

In “The People of The State of California v. Merle Glasper Wakefield,” August 28, 1998, a Superior Court of San Diego filing by San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst, in “OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION TO STRIKE THE FILLING OF SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR PETITIONS,” listed Wakefield’s crimes, which in addition to crimes against women and girls, include burglary, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, and trespassing. Wakefield’s criminal record is as shocking as it is long. How can any judge, in good conscience, place him in any place where people live?

Merle Wakefield’s Official record through 1996:

“21 prior arrests

10 prior convictions

10 admissions to correctional facilities (not counting revoked parole)

14 prior arrests for violent crimes (not including sex offenses)

6 convictions for violent crimes (not including sex offenses)

8 parole or conditional release failures.

Age of first offense:17 (Note this does not include his arrests as a juvenile or convictions, and time served in the California Youth Authority (CYA) as a minor for crimes beginning when he was 12)

Age of most recent Arrest: 33

7 prior arrests for sex offenses

2 prior convictions for sex offenses

6 prior arrests for rape

1 rape conviction

1 molestation arrest

1 molestation conviction”

The court attachment revealed that there had been no previous diagnosis on file, or there was a missing diagnosis of an antisocial personality disorder; any personality disorder, or cognitive intellectual deficits, and no psychopathy score. However, there is contrary evidence from psychiatrists in other documents.

Official court records also reveal that Wakefield told one of his therapists that he had raped and robbed beginning at 12 years of age and that throughout his criminal career many of the girls did not report the crime, inferring more rapes than identified by law enforcement.

Incarceration timeline

1974 Burglary sent to California Youth Authority (CYA) 6 months; then paroled

1975 Robbery sent to CYA for 1 year; then paroled

1977 DUI, resisting arrest; sent to jail

1978 Rape, assault with deadly weapon, battery, burglary sent to Atascadero Prison for 3 years

1981 Rape of a 10-year-old girl, sodomy; 6-year prison term

1988 Animal abuse

1989 Trespassing; sent to jail

1990 Vehicle theft and two violent rapes (4-10-90 and 5-7-90)

1990 Rape of 15-year-old girl, kidnapping, sodomy; sent to state prison for 5 years

1995 Vandalism, resisting arrest; sent to San Quentin

1997 Released from San Quentin prison to State Hospital

1997-2020 Wakefield in custody

“Mr. Wakefield is the textbook definition of a repeat offender” and according to a prison psychiatrist, “is a danger to himself and to society.” Multiple psychiatric evaluations diagnosed him with "personality disorder, with uncontrollable impulses.” The State Parole Board in 1996 found him to be "a walking threat to all women."