SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FOX26) — Convicted child molester Gregory Vogelsang, who was sentenced to more than 350 years in prison for sexually abusing children, had his parole rescinded on Friday.
The California Board of Parole Hearings had granted Vogelsang parole, through California’s Elderly Parole Program, even after the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said he was still classified as a sexually violent predator.
Investigators say that between 1995 and 1997, Vogelsang molested at least six boys between the ages of 5 and 11.
Psychological evaluations later documented that Vogelsang acknowledged he remained primarily sexually attracted to boys between the ages of 5 and 11.
Despite objections, Vogelsang was set to be released until many community leaders stepped in to keep him behind bars.
California Assemblyman David Tangipa of District 8 got involved after learning that Vogelsang could be released in Fresno.
“We have temporarily stopped the early release of serial child predator Gregory Vogelsang into Fresno,” Tangipa said in March. “This is a win, but the fight is far from over.”
California’s Elderly Parole Program allows inmates aged 50 or older who have served at least 20 years of continuous incarceration to receive a special parole suitability hearing.
Tangipa said the case raises broader concerns about who is eligible for early release.
“If someone like Vogelsang was even eligible for release, imagine how many more cases are coming behind him,” he said.
Tangipa urged continued pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s parole system.
“That’s exactly why we need to keep up the pressure on Gavin Newsom and his radical Parole Board,” he said.
On Friday, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office posted on X that the parole had been rescinded.
Today, that decision was rescinded! We thank our community for the overwhelming response to our call to action -hundreds of community members showed up, emailed, and called the Board of Parole in opposition of release. They put people before predators, public safety above politics and children before criminals who preyed upon the most vulnerable. We will continue to fight his early release back into our community.
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Additionally, we are working with Assemblywoman Stephanie Nguyen to pass Assembly Bill 2727, to help us prevent child predators from getting released.
