Serial Child Molester Rearrested As Parole Sparks Backlash
David Allen Funston, 64, was arrested on a 1996 warrant after a parole board granted elderly parole for his 1999 convictions, prompting prosecutors and officials to seek review and refile charges.
Overview
David Allen Funston, 64, was arrested on a Placer County warrant hours before a scheduled Feb. 26 release after the Board of Parole Hearings reaffirmed its recommendation on Feb. 18, 2026.
Funston was convicted in 1999 on 16 felony counts of kidnapping and child molestation and had been serving multiple life terms.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire refiled charges from a 1996 Roseville case that officials said remained within the statute of limitations, and the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office asked state officials on February 23 to review the parole grant.
Parole transcripts show Funston admitted to having pedophilic fantasies as recently as 2021 and described sexual assaults and childhood trauma during hearings on Sept. 24, 2025 and May 2022, which drew criticism from victims and former prosecutors.
Under California's Elderly Parole Program, which allows parole consideration after age 50 with 20 years served, officials transferred Funston to Placer County custody for booking on alleged lewd and lascivious acts as prosecutors pursue the 1996 case.
Analysis
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FAQ
The Elderly Parole Program allows inmates aged 50 or older who have served at least 20 years of continuous incarceration to be considered for parole.
History
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