Serial Child Molester FREED – Outrage Erupts

California’s parole board has released a serial child molester who served only 27 years of a 355-year sentence, even after he admitted to continuing fantasies about children, sparking outrage and urgent demands for reform from lawmakers and law enforcement officials who warn he will reoffend.

Story Snapshot

Gregory Vogelsang, 57, granted parole after serving less than 8% of his 355-year sentence for molesting six boys aged 5-11
Vogelsang admitted during parole hearing to ongoing sexual fantasies about children; risk assessment rated him “above average” for future crimes
Second serial predator case in months under California’s Elderly Parole Program designed for low-risk aging inmates
Sacramento law enforcement and prosecutors predict reoffending and demand parole commissioners be removed
Republican lawmakers introducing legislation to exclude violent sex offenders from elderly parole eligibility

Parole Board Releases Serial Predator Despite Warning Signs

Gregory Vogelsang received parole approval from California’s Board of Parole Hearings after serving 27 years of a 355-year sentence for molesting six young boys in the 1990s. The decision came under the state’s Elderly Parole Program, which grants specialized hearings to inmates aged 50 or older who have served at least 20 consecutive years. Vogelsang’s own statements during the hearing revealed he continues to fantasize about children, yet the board approved his release despite a risk assessment rating him “above average” for committing future crimes.

Law Enforcement Officials Denounce Decision and Predict Reoffending

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho publicly condemned the parole board’s decision, stating bluntly that Vogelsang will molest again. Ho challenged anyone defending the decision based on recidivism statistics to allow these offenders to live next to their homes or babysit their children. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper echoed these concerns, calling the parole board “horrible” and asserting that sex offenders cannot be rehabilitated. Cooper demanded the commissioners be removed, emphasizing that Vogelsang belongs in prison for the rest of his life.

Pattern Emerges with Second Serial Predator Release

Vogelsang’s case follows the September 2025 parole approval of David Allen Funston, a 64-year-old serial child molester convicted of 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation who served approximately 26 years. Funston, described by a sentencing judge as “the monster parents fear the most,” victimized children as young as four years old using candy and toys as lures. He also admitted to continuing fantasies about an eight-year-old girl during his parole hearing. Funston was initially set for release but was taken into custody after a warrant was issued for a separate offense in Placer County, temporarily preventing his freedom.

The Elderly Parole Program was designed to address prison overcrowding through compassionate release of aging, low-risk inmates. However, the program does not explicitly exclude violent sexual predators from eligibility, creating what prosecutors describe as an unintended loophole. Law enforcement and prosecutors argue that pedophilia and sexual predatory behavior are not conditions that age or incarceration can cure, making the program’s rehabilitative philosophy fundamentally incompatible with managing these offenders. When the Sexually Violent Predator program was established, the expectation was that offenders like Funston and Vogelsang would never be eligible for parole.

Legislative Reform Efforts Gain Momentum

State Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Republican, announced introduction of legislation to restrict elderly parole eligibility for violent offenders in response to these cases. The California Republican Party, through Chairwoman Corrin Rankin, has demanded Governor Gavin Newsom fire the parole commissioners and reverse the decisions, characterizing the situation as “insanity.” Newsom’s office requested the parole board reconsider the Funston decision but has not publicly commented on Vogelsang’s release. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor’s office but received no response at the time of reporting.

California lawmakers demand reform as another serial child molester gets parole despite 355-year sentence https://t.co/VpSp8LZxG7

— John Wade (@LtJohnWade) March 13, 2026

The cases have severely damaged public trust in California’s criminal justice system and parole decision-making processes. Victims and their families experience re-traumatization upon learning of their abusers’ potential releases, particularly when offenders admit to ongoing sexual fantasies. One victim of Funston spent nearly every weekend at his home for years, experiencing repeated abuse. The knowledge that these predators may be released creates ongoing psychological harm and fear for victims while raising grave concerns among Sacramento area residents and families with young children about renewed victimization by known predators now walking free in their communities.