By Brandi Makuski

A former Town of Hull man who has been classified as a sexually violent person has received a green light for release from a state treatment facility.

Roy E. Koch, 67, has been behind bars since he was convicted in 1981 of molesting a 10-year-old boy at his North Torun Rd. home. In 2002, he was identified as a Chapter 980 offender — the statutory designation for a sexually violent person — and involuntarily committed to Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston.

Now, doctors say Koch’s progress in treatment makes him eligible for release; a decision that initiates a series of hearings in Portage Co. Circuit Court to finalize a continued treatment plan, and to determine where Koch will live, upon his release.

Koch’s attorney, Charles L. Glynn, testified before Judge Robert Shannon via phone that Koch’s doctors have determined he has a low chance of re-offending.

“Based on the doctor’s reports that have been filed with the court, it shows Mr. Koch is doing very well at Sand Ridge Treatment Center,” Glynn said.

Under state law, convicts classified as sexually violent can only be committed until they achieve several milestones under supervised treatment at Sand Ridge.

“They have to jump through a lot of hoops and meet several standards before they can even be considered for release,” said Shaun Morrow from the Division of Probation and Parole.

Kevin Green, a special prosecutor from Green Bay who represents the state in 22 counties by exclusively working to place 980 offenders, said once those treatment standards are met, a court must grant a conditional release.

If the release isn’t granted within a certain period of time, Greene said, it could potentially violate the person’s civil rights — opening the court to a lawsuit — and the convict could be released without any supervision at all.

“The treatment that meets Mr. Koch’s needs is available in the community,” a report from Sand Ridge reads in part. “His progress can be sustained upon supervised release.”

The next step, according to court records, is for Koch’s doctors and Glynne to construct a court-approved plan for supervised release, which for 980 offenders typically includes restricted interaction with the public, intensive treatment and heavy supervision to include GPS monitoring.

“Experience tells me finding the residence will be the more difficult problem,” Greene said.

Two other 980 offenders were placed in the Town of Alban earlier this year. Another sexually violent person, Charles Anderson, is pending release from Sand Ridge. After failing to find a suitable residence inside Portage Co. for Anderson, court officials have expanded their search to the entire state. Anderson’s case returns to court in July.

Koch remains incarcerated at Sand Hurst until his supervised release plan can be approved by a Portage Co. judge.

Koch’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 20 at 3 PM.