A man sentenced to spend 355 years in prison for sexually abusing young boys in Sacramento County will stay put, for at least another four to six months.The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) voted Wednesday to refer the grant of parole for Gregory Vogelsang, 57, to a rescission hearing.“The purpose of a rescission hearing is to evaluate if a fundamental error was committed by the granting panel that may indicate that a grant of parole was improper,” a statement from CDCR indicated.In November of 2025, Vogelsang was granted parole after serving 27 years of a 355-year term. Elder parole laws allowed for him to be eligible for release.But after agencies including the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, sheriff’s office, and Governor Gavin Newsom requested a review of the case, it was referred to a larger, BPH for additional review.That hearing happened Wednesday, where concerned community members, survivors of sexual abuse, those with backgrounds in dealing with incarcerated people, the deputy district attorney who originally prosecuted the case against Vogelsang, and the mother of one of Vogelsang’s victims sounded off against his release.“I met with the boys and their families,” said prosecutor Ross Huggins. “I presented their testimony to the jury that ultimately convicted Vogelsang. I was in court when he was sentenced to 355 years to life.”Just one public commenter identified himself as someone in favor of Vogelsang’s parole.“Elderly parole works. It protects public safety and it saves the state money,” said Evan Franzel, of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Freedom Project via video call. “Despite very public opposition to elderly parole, there are many Californians who support this common sense policy.”Prior to the public comment portion of the BPH proceedings, executive officer Scott Wyckoff addressed comments he said have been made about the board over the last two weeks related to elder parole, the Vogelsang case and the case of another man convicted of child sex abuse and slated for parole, David Funston.Wyckoff said BPH operates under laws enacted by the legislature and interpreted by the courts and that they make decisions based on the law and evidence in front of them.“If people want to change the law, the legislature is the place to do it,” he said. “But attacking public servants for faithfully applying the law is wrong and it undermines the integrity of our processes that keep California safe.”A date for commissioners to hold their rescission hearing on Vogelsang’s case hasn’t been set yet, but public sentiment they heard at Wednesday’s hearing will be taken into consideration.“I beg the parole board, to please rescind his parole, and don’t put this predator on the streets,” mother of one of Vogelsang’s victims. “It is a life-long trauma that we have to deal with, and no other children or families should have to deal with this.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

A man sentenced to spend 355 years in prison for sexually abusing young boys in Sacramento County will stay put, for at least another four to six months.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) voted Wednesday to refer the grant of parole for Gregory Vogelsang, 57, to a rescission hearing.

“The purpose of a rescission hearing is to evaluate if a fundamental error was committed by the granting panel that may indicate that a grant of parole was improper,” a statement from CDCR indicated.

In November of 2025, Vogelsang was granted parole after serving 27 years of a 355-year term. Elder parole laws allowed for him to be eligible for release.

But after agencies including the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, sheriff’s office, and Governor Gavin Newsom requested a review of the case, it was referred to a larger, BPH for additional review.

That hearing happened Wednesday, where concerned community members, survivors of sexual abuse, those with backgrounds in dealing with incarcerated people, the deputy district attorney who originally prosecuted the case against Vogelsang, and the mother of one of Vogelsang’s victims sounded off against his release.

“I met with the boys and their families,” said prosecutor Ross Huggins. “I presented their testimony to the jury that ultimately convicted Vogelsang. I was in court when he was sentenced to 355 years to life.”

Just one public commenter identified himself as someone in favor of Vogelsang’s parole.

“Elderly parole works. It protects public safety and it saves the state money,” said Evan Franzel, of the San Francisco Public Defender’s Freedom Project via video call. “Despite very public opposition to elderly parole, there are many Californians who support this common sense policy.”

Prior to the public comment portion of the BPH proceedings, executive officer Scott Wyckoff addressed comments he said have been made about the board over the last two weeks related to elder parole, the Vogelsang case and the case of another man convicted of child sex abuse and slated for parole, David Funston.

Wyckoff said BPH operates under laws enacted by the legislature and interpreted by the courts and that they make decisions based on the law and evidence in front of them.

“If people want to change the law, the legislature is the place to do it,” he said. “But attacking public servants for faithfully applying the law is wrong and it undermines the integrity of our processes that keep California safe.”

A date for commissioners to hold their rescission hearing on Vogelsang’s case hasn’t been set yet, but public sentiment they heard at Wednesday’s hearing will be taken into consideration.

“I beg the parole board, to please rescind his parole, and don’t put this predator on the streets,” mother of one of Vogelsang’s victims. “It is a life-long trauma that we have to deal with, and no other children or families should have to deal with this.”

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel