PEDOPHILE FREED—Admits Attraction, Re-Arrested SAME DAY

California’s elderly parole program just released a convicted serial child molester who openly admitted he’s still sexually attracted to children—only for him to be re-arrested on new molestation charges the same day.

Story Snapshot

David Allen Funston, 64, granted parole after 27 years despite admitting in 2025 hearings to ongoing sexual attraction to female children and fantasies as recent as 2021
California Board of Parole Hearings approved release under Elderly Parole Program, citing therapy completion and claiming he’s “not a significant danger” to public safety
Funston re-arrested same day as release on new 1996 child sex abuse charges previously uncharged due to his life sentence
California GOP pushing legislation to exclude violent sex offenders from elderly parole eligibility as victims and law enforcement call the release “unconscionable”

Serial Child Predator’s Disturbing Admissions Ignored by Parole Board

David Allen Funston targeted eight children aged three to seven across Sacramento-area communities between 1995 and 1996, luring them with toys, candy, and Barbie dolls before sexually assaulting and abandoning them. Convicted in 1999 on 16 counts of kidnapping and child molestation, Funston received three consecutive life terms with the possibility of parole. During his September 2025 parole hearing, Funston admitted he was still sexually attracted to female children and had experienced pedophilic fantasies about an eight-year-old as recently as 2021. The Board of Parole Hearings approved his release anyway, praising his “urge control plan.”

Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho labeled Funston the “worst of the worst” and warned that “he will reoffend.” One victim, identified only as “Amelia,” who was abused at age four, expressed disgust at the parole decision and fear for community safety. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper called the release “unconscionable” and described Funston as a “ticking time bomb,” questioning what is happening in California when such dangerous predators walk free. The parole board’s decision to ignore Funston’s own admissions of ongoing attraction to children represents a catastrophic failure to prioritize public safety over progressive rehabilitation ideology.

Elderly Parole Program Prioritizes Age Over Crime Severity

California’s Elderly Parole Program, established under Proposition 57 in 2016, allows inmates aged 50 and older who have served at least 20 years to seek parole, regardless of the heinous nature of their crimes. The program was designed to reduce prison overcrowding and costs associated with aging prison populations. Funston became eligible at age 50 after serving 20 years, despite his three consecutive life sentences for crimes against children. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered a review of the parole board’s decision, but his spokesperson claimed his hands were “tied” by existing law, highlighting how progressive policies handcuff even Democratic leadership when public safety demands action.

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones announced legislation to exclude violent sex offenders from elderly parole eligibility, directly responding to the Funston case and similar releases. DA Ho called elderly parole “a broken law that results in broken lives,” echoing widespread law enforcement frustration with California’s criminal justice reforms. This program exemplifies the dangerous consequences of prioritizing offender comfort over victim protection and community safety. When age becomes more important than the nature of crimes committed, particularly against the most vulnerable, the justice system has abandoned its core purpose of protecting citizens from predators.

New Charges Halt Release as Accountability Emerges

Funston was released under parole in late February or early March 2026 but was immediately re-arrested on new 1996 child sex abuse charges that were never prosecuted because his existing life sentence made additional prosecution unnecessary. The Placer County charges effectively halted what would have been a catastrophic mistake, keeping him in custody pending his March 9, 2026 arraignment where he pleaded not guilty. The timing suggests prosecutors strategically revived cold cases to prevent the parole board’s reckless decision from endangering children. This intervention demonstrates what happens when local law enforcement refuses to accept state-level failures and takes matters into their own hands to protect communities.

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— DeumAmo (@DeumAmo) March 12, 2026

The case has intensified scrutiny on the California Board of Parole Hearings and fueled Republican demands for new leadership that prioritizes public safety over ideological rehabilitation goals. Short-term, Funston remains in custody, but long-term implications include potential reform excluding predators from elderly parole and establishing precedent for charging cold cases when parole boards make dangerous decisions. Victims and their families face renewed trauma from the original parole approval, while Sacramento-area communities live in fear that similar releases will occur. This debacle exposes how progressive criminal justice reforms, when divorced from common sense and victim protection, create dangerous situations that erode public trust in government institutions meant to keep families safe.