Public meeting set to discuss presence of sex offenders

A community notification meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 8 at the Port Orchard City Hall Council Chambers, third floor, located at 216 Prospect St. in Port Orchard, to discuss the imminent relocation of a pair of potentially dangerous registered sex offenders to the South Kitsap area.

The first is Darby L. Potter, a 30-year-old while male described as 5-foot-11, 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

He has registered with Kitsap County to the 900 block of Taylor Street in Port Orchard.

Potter was convicted in 1991 of first-degree child molestation after he abused a 3-year-old female while he was babysitting.

He was also charged in 1991 with communicating with a minor when he molested a 6-year-old female, however he denied engaging in this behavior.

In 1999, Potter was convicted again for second-degree child molestation when he had sexual relations with a 13-year-old female neighbor.

He also disclosed that he had sex with two other underage females, one being 13 and the other being 14 to 15 years of age.

Potter participated and completed a sex offender treatment program while incarcerated, however Potter apparently made minimal progress and blamed others for his behaviors.

The second suspect is John P. Cozzie, 28. He is described as a while male, 6-feet-1, 145 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

He has registered with Kitsap County for the 1000 block of Bethel Avenue in Port Orchard.

According to official court documents, Cozzie is considered to be a dangerous mentally ill offender following a review by a disciplinary committee.

In September 2004, Cozzie was referred to the Superior Court in an attempt to be civilly committed to the sexual deviancy program at McNeil Island Corrections Center.

The Superior Court ruled that he did not meet the qualifications for civil commitment.

In 2000, Cozzie was convicted of third-degree rape after sexually assaulting an adult male subject who was known to him.

In 1999, he was convicted of second-degree assault with sexual motivation after sexually assaulting an adult female subject known to him.

He has also been convicted of failure to register as a sex offender, numerous assaults and property crimes.

He also committed major infractions while in custody, including sexual acts with other inmates.

For further information, contact Detective Doug Dillard of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 337-5617 or Sgt. J. Glantz of the Port Orchard Police Department at (360) 876-1700.

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