Out-of-town fugitives, convicted sex offenders, and violent repeat offenders are increasingly turning up in Clallam County — drawn by taxpayer-funded “harm reduction” programs, free housing, and a justice system that seems designed to accommodate them rather than protect residents. As the county considers a new “Criminal Justice Tax,” many are asking the obvious question: Why would we pay more for less safety?
Clallam County’s revolving door of justice keeps spinning — and the latest names behind bars show just how far the problem extends beyond our borders.
John Darren Fruin, age 58, is currently being held in the Clallam County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance and failure to register as a sex offender.
Just last year, Fruin was wanted in Oregon.
An April 2024 article from a Newberg, Oregon outlet read: “John Darren Fruin, 56, is wanted on an FTA for failure to register as a sex offender.” By February 2025, Yamhill County (which includes Newberg) reported: “John Darren Fruin, 57, is wanted on a warrant for failure to register as a sex offender.”
Now, he’s in Port Angeles — facing the same charges.
How does a wanted sex offender from Oregon end up here? The answer may lie in the incentives. Clallam County taxpayers buy and distribute foil, syringes, and even “boofing kits” — all under the banner of “harm reduction.” When a county normalizes open drug use, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it attracts people who use drugs.
Caught and released
Then there’s Jacob Kendall Backman, 48, another name familiar to law enforcement. Backman was booked into the Clallam County Jail on October 9 for obstructing a law enforcement officer and possession of a controlled substance.
He was released on October 24 — and just eight days later, according to the Clallam County Scanner report, he was found hiding in the bushes near the Port Angeles Walmart after an alleged theft from a nearby store.
It wasn’t his first encounter with the law — not even close.
Backman has a long and violent history. In 2013, “Washington’s Most Wanted” featured him as a fugitive. At that time, he was on probation for robbery in Kitsap County and wanted for failing to report. Port Angeles police also had probable cause to arrest him for assault after a series of violent threats toward a former girlfriend.
According to police, Backman vowed to “scour the earth” for the woman and “bury her so far down none of you are ever going to find her.” He was described as a heavy meth user and known to carry guns.
He was eventually captured after trying to run from police, arrested on a felony warrant, and a charge of assaulting a police officer in the first degree for nearly running over law enforcement with a truck.
Today, a decade later, Backman is back in Port Angeles — still using meth, still stealing, and still walking the streets after yet another short stay in jail.
Paying to Solve a Crisis They Created
When Clallam County leaders hand out free drug paraphernalia, they encourage use — but how do addicts pay for their next fix? The answer is increasingly obvious: theft.
Car prowls and burglaries are now routine across the county. A recent video posted on Nextdoor.com captured yet another prowler rifling through cars in the Cherry Hill neighborhood of Port Angeles.
Residents describe it as “a soft form of terrorism” — not political, but psychological. The fear of walking outside at night. The loss of safety in once-quiet neighborhoods.
And yet, rather than confront these policies, the County Commissioners are exploring a new “Criminal Justice Tax” — a measure they can impose without a public vote in mid-2026. The sales pitch will be easy: crime is out of control, so they need more money. The harder truth is that their own policies are fueling the crisis.
Protecting Our Most Vulnerable
Meanwhile, dangerous offenders continue to resurface in public spaces.
Lance Joseph Rosa, convicted of rape of a child and kidnapping, has recently been seen near the Port Angeles Safeway. Witnesses say he’s often at the top of the stairwell between the sidewalk and parking lot — pushing a baby stroller full of junk, yelling, and blocking the path used by pedestrians.
One local resident shared her experience:
“He was there when I left town around 11 p.m. Sunday and still there when I got home at 5 p.m. Monday. Women using drugs or homeless near him won’t be in any state to defend themselves. I no longer feel safe walking to the grocery store at night.”
Rosa’s record speaks for itself. In 2016, Bellingham police linked his DNA to the rape and kidnapping of a woman at Maritime Heritage Park — one of several assaults that prompted a citywide safety review. He was ultimately convicted of rape of a child in 2017, after a plea agreement reduced the charges. According to the state statue Rosa’s victim was just 14 or 15 years old, while he was 37 at the time.
That same man is now back in Port Angeles, frequenting areas where vulnerable women and girls are most at risk.
A Magnet for Mayhem
Clallam County has become a magnet for the very offenders other communities are working hard to keep out. A combination of permissive drug policies, free paraphernalia programs, free transportation, free housing that prioritizes those who are frequently incarcerated, and lenient sentencing has made our community a destination — not for recovery, but for relapse.
We are an economically struggling county with limited law enforcement resources, yet we keep importing the problems of other states and counties.
Until our leaders recognize that compassion without accountability endangers everyone, Clallam County will remain a sanctuary — not for the vulnerable, but for the violent.
A Challenge for My Old Friends on Nextdoor
One Nextdoor user recently encouraged neighbors to check out CC Watchdog.
Let’s just say — the post wasn’t well received.
So, here’s a reminder for readers and critics alike: CC Watchdog is an opinion blog grounded in facts. I’ve never claimed to be unbiased — only honest.
To Mark, Don, Brian, Nicole, and Heather: here’s my challenge.
If you believe I’ve published a conspiracy, post it in the CC Watchdog comments. I’ll respond with the evidence behind the reporting — or, if I’m wrong, I’ll publicly retract it and apologize.
I’m still banned from Nextdoor, so our conversation won’t happen there. But I genuinely look forward to hearing from my old friends from that platform. Let’s get back to doing what Nextdoor was supposed to be for — connecting neighbors and sharing truth, not silencing it.
