The Sacramento County Sheriff is set to announce Wednesday a new ballot initiative intended to prevent sexual predators from having their prison time cut short.Jim Cooper’s initiative comes amid increased calls to change California’s elderly parole program, which allows some violent criminals—including child rapists and murderers serving life sentences— to be released early. This program was established after the U.S. Supreme Court put California on notice in 2011 for its overcrowded prisons.Recently, serial child rapist David Allen Funston was released under this program, but Placer County officials immediately took him back into custody to face child molestation charges from 1996.Gregory Vogelsang, who was sentenced to 355 years in prison for sexually abusing young boys in Sacramento County, is also set to be released under the program. For the time being, he will stay in custody for at least another four to six months after being granted parole in November 2025.Vogelsang had served 27 years of his overall sentence.Through Cooper’s measure, known as “Protect Our Kids: Reform Prop 57,” sexually violent predators would be excluded from being considered for early release. The sheriff has been vocal about his frustration over the elderly parole program.| VIDEO BELOW | Lead detective on David Funston serial child rapist case reacts to elderly parole decisionCooper’s news conference announcing the ballot initiative is set to begin shortly after 9 a.m.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. —
The Sacramento County Sheriff is set to announce Wednesday a new ballot initiative intended to prevent sexual predators from having their prison time cut short.
Jim Cooper’s initiative comes amid increased calls to change California’s elderly parole program, which allows some violent criminals—including child rapists and murderers serving life sentences— to be released early. This program was established after the U.S. Supreme Court put California on notice in 2011 for its overcrowded prisons.
Recently, serial child rapist David Allen Funston was released under this program, but Placer County officials immediately took him back into custody to face child molestation charges from 1996.
Gregory Vogelsang, who was sentenced to 355 years in prison for sexually abusing young boys in Sacramento County, is also set to be released under the program. For the time being, he will stay in custody for at least another four to six months after being granted parole in November 2025.
Vogelsang had served 27 years of his overall sentence.
Through Cooper’s measure, known as “Protect Our Kids: Reform Prop 57,” sexually violent predators would be excluded from being considered for early release. The sheriff has been vocal about his frustration over the elderly parole program.
| VIDEO BELOW | Lead detective on David Funston serial child rapist case reacts to elderly parole decision
Cooper’s news conference announcing the ballot initiative is set to begin shortly after 9 a.m.
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