Fresno City Councilman Mike Karbassi held a press conference alongside Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Sheriff John Zanoni, Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto and City Attorney Andrew Janz to announce the introduction of the “SHIELD” Act on October 13, 2026, at City Hall.
LILIANA FANNIN
Top law enforcement and elected officials are sounding the alarm over a concentration of sex offender group homes in Fresno, which they say are often run by out-of-town operators attracted by the city’s relatively affordable housing.
“The reality is, there could be 10 of those homes in the same neighborhood, and we, at the current time, have no way of regulating that,” Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said.
Councilmember Mike Karbassi, Dyer, District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Sheriff John Zanoni, Police Chief Mindy Casto and City Attorney Andrew Janz announced the introduction of new legislation at a press conference Tuesday called the “SHIELD” Act, or the Sex Offender Housing Inspection Enforcement Licensing and Disclosure Act.
It aims to regulate group housing for sex offenders in the city by allowing only so many facilities per council district, possibly only one, Karbassi said, which would be a total of seven citywide. The act also would require mandatory licensing and impose financial and criminal penalties for non-compliance.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors enacted an ordinance limiting the number of sex offenders living in a single-family home or traditional housing unit to six in 2026, which was met with some pushback over homelessness risk concerns. Three anonymous registered sex offenders and a Sacramento-based advocacy group sued the county, alleging the ordinance is unconstitutional. It has not reached a final verdict.
Two high-profile sexual predators requested to live in Fresno
Dyer said it’s impossible to know how many group homes serving sex offenders there are in Fresno today because of the lack of local regulation.
The “SHIELD” Act would also address Karbassi’s concerns over the state’s Elderly Parole Program, which allows the possibility of parole for any inmate who is 50 years of age or older and has served a minimum of 20 consecutive years. He plans to introduce a resolution to initiate the process and a fee study for the act at the next City Council meeting.
“If you’re a violent sexual predator and the state of California wants to let you out early, all we’re saying is we can’t control where you go, but you sure as hell aren’t going to call Fresno your home,” Karbassi said. “That’s the point of the SHIELD Act.”
Karbassi pointed to the case of David Allen Funston, who was convicted of kidnapping and child molestation in 1999 and became eligible for the Elderly Parole Program earlier this year. He used candy and toys to lure children in Sacramento County. His youngest victim was three years old.
According to documents obtained by ABC30, Funston told the parole board that he still has sexual fantasies. When asked where he wanted to go upon release, Funston said the Centers for Living in Fresno.
On the day of his scheduled release in February, Placer County reopened a case they had dropped 30 years ago after three life sentences and arrested him on prior charges.
Another sexual predator who requested to move to Fresno after release was Gregory Vogeslang, but he was ultimately denied parole.
“We do not want Fresno to become the desired home for sexual predators in the state of California,” Dyer said. “I believe the Shields Act will serve as a deterrent for that.”
Fresno City Councilman Mike Karbassi held a press conference alongside Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Sheriff John Zanoni, Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto and City Attorney Andrew Janz to announce the introduction of the “SHIELD” Act on October 13, 2026 at City Hall. LILIANA FANNIN
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