Los Angeles News

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CBS) ― The suspect in the disappearance of a Rancho Santa Margarita college student was freed on bail Wednesday on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

John Steven Burgess, 35, is due to appear at the Los Angeles Airport Superior Court next Wednesday for a pretrial hearing on the failure to register charge -- he has not been charged in connection with the disappearance two months ago of Donna Jou -- and the young woman's father plans to be there.

"I don't think they'll allow me to talk to him," Reza Jou said of the upcoming encounter, the first time the father has come face to face with Burgess.

"I've seen only pictures" of him, he said. "For me, it's something. My heart is broken. My dream has been shattered. This child was very special."

Jou was last seen by her family on June 23, leaving her Orange County home on the back of a motorcycle. She was later seen by witnesses at Burgess' West Los Angeles home at a party, authorities have said.

Investigators said Jou met Burgess through Craigslist.com, passing off another man's photo as his.

Burgess was convicted of three counts of battery in 2002 and performing a lewd act against a child the following year, and sentenced to 146 days in jail, placed on three years' probation and required to register as a sex offender.

Shortly after Jou was reported missing, authorities said they were looking to question Burgess, who also goes by the name, Sinjin Stevens, but he disappeared before they could.

Los Angeles police later found a tool box, 1 1/2 miles from Burgess' house in the Palms district of Los Angeles, containing a motorcycle helmet, and a license plate with SINJIN1, as well as rope, a pair of gloves and a scrub brush, authorities said.

Burgess was arrested on July 25 in Jacksonville, Fla. after dropping a baggie with cocaine inside when he saw police while riding a bicycle near a Motel 6.

Orange County investigators traveled to Florida to speak with him, but he refused to meet with them.

Earlier this month, Burgess pleaded guilty to felony possession of drugs and sentenced to time served, Bird said.

Burgess, who had been held on a $1 million warrant, waived extradition and was brought to Los Angeles to face the failure to register charge.

During his last court appearance, a judge lowered bail to $250,000. During that same hearing, authorities for the first time named Burgess a suspect in Jou's disappearance.

Reached at his office this afternoon, Burgess' attorney, George Bird Jr. said he had not heard from his client. He said he learned about Burgess posting bail through calls by the media.

Bird said in usual circumstances, prosecutors would likely make an offer to settle a case during a pretrial hearing, but that may change if Jou's family is in court.

Bird said his client should be prosecuted solely for failure to register, not for playing any role in the disappearance of Jou, for which he has denied playing any role.

"A prosecutor can't stand up and say (failing to register) is a victimless crime with the family sitting in court saying they're victims," Bird said.

The elder Jou said he is "very disappointed" that Burgess has left jail.

"My child still is missing," he said. "This man tells us it's his constitutional right (not) to speak. He doesn't tell where my daughter is or what he's done to my child."

"Now he's free on the street," he said. "This is a disservice to the community."

Reza Jou, who lives in Houston and is a systems integration manager and engineer for NASA's International Space Station, said he has contacted local politicians for help but feels little aid is forthcoming.

"It's extremely frustrating," he said. "We're desperately looking and seeking help. It's over two months now."

Jou, a San Diego State University honors student and a pre-med student who wants to be a neurosurgeon, had corresponded about a month before meeting Burgess, investigators said.

Her family has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

Jou, who was taking summer classes at Rancho Santiago Community College in Orange, is said to have a 4.0 grade point average.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)