Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper on Monday criticized the parole of David Allen Funston, a 64-year-old man convicted of kidnapping and molesting children in 1995 and 1996, after state records show he was granted parole under California\u2019s elderly parole program.<\/p>\n
\u201cA judge in Sacramento described him\u2026 as the monster parents fear most, yet today the parole board decided he is suitable for release,\u201d Cooper said during a press conference at the Sacramento County Sheriff\u2019s Office headquarters.<\/p>\n
Cooper said Funston preyed on children in the Sacramento area in 1995 and 1996 and targeted eight victims \u2014 seven girls and one boy \u2014 between the ages of 3 and 7.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe lured them with candy, Barbie dolls, toys, and abused these kids horrifically, horrifically,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n
He said Funston was convicted of 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe youngest victim 3 years of age,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n
Funston was sentenced to 20 years and 8 months in prison, as well as three consecutive sentences of 25 years to life, Cooper said.<\/p>\n
According to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records, Funston was granted parole at a subsequent suitability hearing on Sept. 24, 2025.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, in 2020, a bill was passed that made folks eligible for parole as early as 50 years of age once they served 20 years, so he qualifies. He\u2019s 64 years old\u2026 that is dead wrong,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat in the hell is going on in California? What is happening in our state? This cannot happen. It\u2019s not OK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t get a second chance with children at all. And I\u2019m pissed. It is not OK. It is not OK,\u201d Cooper added.<\/p>\n Retired Detective Rafael Rodriguez, who worked on the original investigation, said he learned of the decision through news reports.<\/p>\n \u201cNow yesterday I\u2019m reading the news in bed and I see Mr. Funston is about to be released. I was outraged,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cThe victims here, they got a life sentence. OK, a life sentence.”<\/p>\n Undersheriff Mike Ziegler said Funston had served less than a third of the time he was given.<\/p>\n \u201cThis monster. He was sentenced to almost or a little over 90 years. He\u2019s done less than a third of that, and he\u2019s going to be on the streets,\u201d Ziegler said.<\/p>\n \u201cA third of our current child abuse suspects will be eligible for parole as soon as they turn 50\u2026 that\u2019s the problem with the law,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Amelia, who identified herself as one of Funston\u2019s victims, also spoke at the press conference.<\/p>\n \u201cThis man has took innocence from myself and others,\u201d she said. \u201cHe, he is a criminal child molester, dangerous and deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n When asked what happens next, Cooper acknowledged uncertainty about Funston\u2019s release.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, hopefully someone comes in with a rational mind and makes changes. I hope,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Asked whether the community could see Funston back in Sacramento, Cooper responded, \u201cCorrect. That\u2019s what\u2019s scary, and they don\u2019t stop. They don\u2019t stop.\u201d<\/p>\n Cooper said he is requesting that state officials consider Funston for evaluation under California\u2019s Sexually Violent Predator process, which allows certain offenders to be evaluated for possible civil commitment to a state hospital following release from prison.<\/p>\n The California Department of State Hospitals<\/a> declined to comment on Funston specifically, citing federal and state patient privacy laws, but directed ABC10 to\u00a0public documents\u00a0<\/a>outlining the steps involved in California\u2019s Sex Offender Commitment Program.<\/a><\/p>\n According to the sheriff, Funston\u2019s parole was upheld Feb. 18. A release date has not been publicly announced, and what happens next remains unclear, Cooper said.<\/p>\n