Convicted Sex Offender Released to Oak Harbor, County Posts Notification

Island County officials have issued a formal notice that Nathan Thomas Marion Evans, a convicted sex offender now classified as level 3, will be released from the Washington State Department of Corrections and will be homeless in Oak Harbor. The Island County Sheriff’s Office posted the notification required under state law and included a summary of Evans’ criminal history dating to the 1990s and early 2000s, including a 2001 rape conviction.

The public notice is intended as a transparency measure under state reporting requirements. County officials emphasized the purpose of the posting is to inform residents and to provide an opportunity for public engagement rather than to escalate fear. Local law enforcement scheduled a meeting to give residents a forum to ask questions and to discuss supervision and community safety measures.

The release raises several practical and policy issues for Island County. The Department of Corrections manages custody and release decisions at the state level, while the sheriff’s office is responsible for local notification and enforcement of registration and supervision conditions. That division of responsibilities limits the county’s ability to prevent a state supervised release, but it creates an operational imperative for local agencies to coordinate on monitoring, victim support, and community safety planning.

Homelessness in Oak Harbor complicates the situation for both the individual and local service providers. The arrival of a person released without immediate housing can place additional demand on emergency shelter resources, behavioral health services, and probation or parole supervision. Local nonprofit providers and county social services will likely be part of any response, and their capacity will shape how well the community manages supervision and access to services.

The classification as level 3 indicates a higher assessed risk under state classification systems and frames the expectations for monitoring and community notification. That classification also tends to intensify public concern, which county officials have acknowledged by arranging a public meeting to address questions. The meeting gives residents a direct channel to seek information about supervision protocols, reporting requirements, and what local agencies can and cannot do under state law.

The announcement underscores broader civic and policy implications. Voters and local stakeholders determine elected leadership and budget priorities that affect law enforcement capacity, social services, and affordable housing. Participation in the scheduled meeting and ongoing communication with elected officials can shape how the county allocates resources to supervision, victim services, and homelessness response in the coming months.

Island County residents who want detailed information should consult the sheriff’s office notification and consider attending the local meeting to engage directly with officials and ask specific questions about supervision, housing, and public safety planning.