Convicted Pedophile Freed: California Fury Erupts

A person in an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs

California’s elderly parole program has sparked fury among conservatives after the state board approved release for a convicted serial child molester who openly admitted to still being sexually attracted to children, exposing a dangerous loophole that prioritizes age over public safety.

Story Snapshot

David Allen Funston, 64, granted parole after 27 years despite admitting ongoing pedophilic attractions during 2025 hearings
California GOP demands parole board overhaul after multiple violent predators approved for early release under elderly parole laws
Sacramento officials re-arrested Funston on new 1996 charges the same day he was released, exposing system failures
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones introduces legislation to exclude violent sex offenders from Proposition 57 elderly parole eligibility

Elderly Parole Program Releases Admitted Pedophile

David Allen Funston walked free from California prison in late February 2026 after the state Board of Parole Hearings approved his release under the Elderly Parole Program, despite his conviction on 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation. Funston targeted eight children aged three to seven in Sacramento-area communities during 1995-1996, luring victims with toys, candy, and Barbie dolls before sexually assaulting them. His 1999 sentence of three consecutive life terms with parole possibility seemed designed to protect future generations from a predator who terrorized vulnerable families.

Disturbing Admissions Ignored by Parole Board

During September 2025 parole hearings, Funston admitted he remained sexually attracted to female children and had experienced pedophilic fantasies as recently as 2021 about an eight-year-old girl. When directly asked if he was still attracted to children, Funston answered “Yes,” yet described targeting victims he deemed “vulnerable and available” for power and control. The Board of Parole Hearings praised his completion of sex offender treatment programs and lauded his “urge control plan,” concluding he posed no significant danger despite these alarming confessions that revealed an unchanged predator.

GOP Lawmakers Demand Accountability and Reform

California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones announced legislation to exclude violent sex offenders from elderly parole eligibility following Funston’s case and similar releases. Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho condemned the decision, calling elderly parole “a broken law that results in broken lives” and predicting Funston would reoffend. Sheriff Jim Cooper described the release as “unconscionable” and labeled Funston a “ticking time bomb,” questioning what has happened to California’s commitment to protecting children. These Republican officials represent growing frustration with progressive criminal justice reforms that prioritize rehabilitation theory over community safety and victims’ rights.

Proposition 57 Creates Dangerous Loopholes

California’s Elderly Parole Program stems from Proposition 57, passed in 2016 to reduce prison overcrowding and costs by allowing inmates aged 50-plus who served 20 years to seek parole. The law applies to most offenders except those sentenced to death or life without parole, creating a pathway for violent predators to gain freedom based on age rather than crime severity. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered a review of Funston’s case but claimed his hands were tied by existing law, demonstrating how progressive legislation handcuffs elected officials from protecting constituents. This represents another example of California Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies that endanger families while claiming to serve justice.

Victims and Communities Left Traumatized

One victim, identified as Amelia, who was molested at age four, expressed disgust and fear upon learning of Funston’s impending release. She questioned why authorities would free someone who destroyed her childhood and threatened other children’s safety. Sacramento communities where Funston hunted his victims decades ago faced renewed trauma as families worried about their children’s safety with a confessed pedophile walking their streets. The parole board’s decision dismissed these legitimate concerns, choosing instead to trust in therapy programs over the predator’s own words about his continuing attractions, showing callous disregard for those who suffered at his hands.

Last-Minute Charges Prevent Release

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho filed new criminal charges against Funston for a previously uncharged 1996 child sex abuse case the same day the predator was scheduled for release. Authorities immediately re-arrested Funston, preventing him from entering society despite the parole board’s approval. Funston pleaded not guilty during a March 9, 2026 arraignment in Placer County court and remains in custody. This eleventh-hour intervention by local prosecutors demonstrates how California law enforcement must scramble to protect citizens when state-level bureaucrats fail in their duty, exposing systemic problems with parole board decision-making that forces creative legal solutions.

Pattern of Failed Progressive Policies

Funston’s case mirrors other recent California controversies where violent offenders gained early release under progressive reforms. In March 2026, a life-sentenced rapist who called his break-in attack his “Super Bowl” won release after just a decade despite incomplete treatment. These cases reveal a pattern where rehabilitation ideology trumps common sense and public safety. The parole board’s willingness to believe therapy can override admitted ongoing pedophilic attractions demonstrates dangerous naiveté about human nature and criminal psychology. California families deserve better than a system that treats violent predators as rehabilitation success stories while their victims live with lifelong trauma.