Man Accused of Chasing Young Girls in Attempted Assault was Under Court-Ordered Conservator
by John Gage
OMAHA — An Omaha man accused of chasing young girls in an attempt to sexually assault them was under a court-ordered conservator according to court filings obtained by The Plains Sentinel. Zachary Vinton, 34, was arrested last week after it was alleged that he chased an 11 and 12-year-old girl and threatened to sexually assault them.
Vinton was charged with multiple felony accounts of attempted child enticement and sexual assault of a child before being released on a $20,000 bond.
Court documents reveal that Vinton has been under a court-ordered conservatorship since 2011, when he was 19-years-old. According to the documents, he has been diagnosed with “autism, learning disability, and bipolar disorder.”
The documents further claim that he “lacks the sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning his person.”
In an affidavit released last week, an individual with a connection to Vinton alleged to law enforcement that he has the “cognitive abilities of a 10 year [old].” The affidavit added, “Despite his conditions, he was still highly intelligent.”
On Sunday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to news that Vinton had been released on bond, saying that he was at a low risk of offending if released to the public. “Prior to seeing a judge, Douglas County Corrections pre-trial release staff gave VINTON a risk score of 1 out of 4, the lowest score. VINTON is currently under the pre-trial supervision of the Douglas County Department of Corrections,” the office said in a statement on Twitter.
Following his release, Gretna Public Schools sent an email to parents encouraging students to use a “buddy system” when walking to and from school property.
The news of Vinton’s release, as well as the email from Gretna Public Schools, caused an outcry from critics online who accused the justice system of “coddling” criminals.
John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.