(FOX40.COM) — The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference on Monday regarding the release of David Allen Funston, 64, a man who was sentenced in 1999 for kidnapping and sexually assaulting over five young children.
Funston was sentenced to three consecutive life prison terms, plus 20 years. He was granted early release from prison under the Elderly Parole Program in California, which allows inmates who are 50 years or older, and have served at least 20 years in prison, be considered for release.
SCSO expressed its outrage with the decision on Monday, and encourages the community to vote this election season for the candidate who aims to protect victims and possible victims of those convicted.
“Elections are coming up. this is a great question. ‘What do you stand for?’ Don’t talk the talk, walk the walk. Protect our children. Don’t protect the perpetrator of these crimes. Why are we protecting him?… We got to change it. It just can’t happen anymore,” Sheriff Jim Cooper said.
Funston was convicted and sentenced for kidnapping and committing sex crimes on children 3-7-years-old between 1995 and 1999.
A victim of Funston spoke at the conference, where she said she does not want him to be free.
The reason I am here today is to speak on the behalf of myself and the other victims of this monster who may not be able to speak. I feel he is a very horrible person who has done horrific acts and does not deserve freedom. Why I say this is this man has took innocence from myself and others. He has done shameful things under the eyes of God and I feel his years in prison he has done is not enough. I stood in front of this man in court as a child in elementary–and I will stand again to have him put down where he needs to be. He does not deserve freedom. He does not deserve to be back in public society. He is a criminal, child molester, dangerous and deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars. As a young Native American woman, I am proud to say that the creator kept me here to keep fighting for what is right. So yes, I feel strongly that that man, David Allen Funston, needs to see out his punishment and does not deserve his freedom.
The sheriff’s office said they do not know when or where Funston will be released.
“When they release a sexual violent predator back into the community, the standard is sending them back into the community of domicile. That means the likelihood of him coming back to Sacramento is very high,” Undersheriff Mike Ziegler said.
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