Eric Ray Lewis, 43, who was convicted of burglary and first-degree child molestation in 2016, is currently prohibited from entering Wenatchee or East Wenatchee. However, a recent court order could streamline the process for him to gain special permission to visit.
Lewis served a four-year prison sentence and now resides in western Washington. His community custody officer at the Department of Corrections and the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board, which oversees sex offender post-sentencing, must approve any visits to the two cities. Lewis has repeatedly been denied permission to visit East Wenatchee where his family lives.
The state Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday that the current requirements lack specific criteria for denying his requests. In response, Lewis filed a personal restraint petition arguing that his post-release conditions were excessively burdensome. The Court of Appeals upheld his conditions but directed the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board to revise their standards for approving or rejecting his visitation requests in the Wenatchee Valley.
Each visit request will still undergo individual assessment and approval.