California bureaucrats just granted parole to a convicted serial child molester serving three life sentences, proving once again that leftist policies prioritize criminal comfort over community safety and victims’ rights.
Story Snapshot
- David Allen Funston, 64, kidnapped and molested seven children under age 7 in Sacramento during 1995-1996, earning three consecutive life sentences
- California’s Elderly Parole Program released him in February 2026 despite victims’ outrage and law enforcement warnings
- The program, born from prison overcrowding reforms, allows release of inmates age 50+ who served 20+ years based solely on age-related recidivism statistics
- Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper condemned the decision as “dead wrong,” while Governor Newsom requested reconsideration and lawmakers propose reforms
Monster Predator Wins Under Blue State Policy
David Allen Funston terrorized Sacramento suburbs three decades ago, luring young children with candy and toys before kidnapping and molesting them. A judge at his 1999 sentencing called him “the monster parents fear the most” while imposing three consecutive 25-to-life sentences plus additional years for 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation. The Board of Parole Hearings finalized his release on February 18, 2026, under California’s Elderly Parole Program. This outcome demonstrates how progressive policies crafted to address prison overcrowding now endanger innocent families by releasing predators deemed “low-risk” simply because they aged behind bars.
Elderly Parole Program Prioritizes Statistics Over Safety
California implemented the Elderly Parole Program following federal court orders to reduce prison overcrowding, initially covering inmates 60+ with 25+ years served before expanding in 2021 to age 50+ with 20+ years incarceration. The Board of Parole Hearings approved Funston’s release citing “advanced age, long-term confinement, and diminished physical and cognitive conditions” as reasons he poses minimal recidivism risk. Program defenders point to data showing only four of 221 elderly parolees reoffended between 2019-2020. However, this bureaucratic reliance on aggregate statistics ignores the horrific nature of Funston’s crimes and victims’ lasting trauma, prioritizing administrative convenience over fundamental justice principles.
Law Enforcement and Victims Demand Accountability
Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper publicly denounced the parole decision at a Monday news conference, declaring Funston “abused these children horrifically” and asserting such offenders “don’t deserve a second chance.” The original prosecutor agreed, stating “that sort of offender doesn’t ever deserve release.” Victims expressed horror at the prospect of their tormentor walking free. Governor Gavin Newsom requested the Board of Parole Hearings reconsider the decision, while Assemblymember Maggy Krell introduced legislation requiring Sexually Violent Predator evaluations before granting elderly parole to sex offenders. These responses reveal bipartisan recognition that California’s current system catastrophically fails victims and communities.
Pattern Reveals Systemic Failures in Justice System
Funston’s case follows disturbing precedents under the same program. Rapist Cody Klemp received elderly parole after serving just 27 years of a 170-year sentence, sparking similar outrage. Jennifer Carvalho currently fights to prevent rapist Thomas Martinez Carvalho from receiving parole at his 2027 hearing. The program contains no automatic exclusions for violent sex offenders, murderers, or other heinous criminals except narrow categories like peace officer killings or death penalty cases. This design flaw exposes fundamental problems with progressive criminal justice reforms that treat violent predators as rehabilitation success stories based purely on chronological age rather than moral accountability or victim protection.
Communities Face Threats From Misguided Reforms
Sacramento families now confront genuine danger as Funston awaits release from California Institution for Men in Chino, with exact dates and supervision details undisclosed. While authorities requested potential Sexually Violent Predator commitment evaluation, no confirmation exists that additional protections will materialize. This uncertainty terrorizes the very communities California officials claim to serve. The situation crystallizes how leftist governance sacrifices public safety and family security on the altar of progressive ideology. When bureaucrats prioritize prison population statistics and theoretical rehabilitation over protecting children from convicted monsters, they betray their fundamental duty and demonstrate contempt for common-sense values that once defined American justice.
Sources:
Serial Northern California child molester granted parole despite life sentences – KTVU
