David Allen Funston child molester blocked from release by Placer County

A California child molester who was scheduled to be released this week has been turned over to law enforcement after a new arrest warrant was issued in Placer County, state officials confirmed.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said 64-year-old David Allen Funston was transferred to law enforcement around 7:30 a.m. after Placer County filed new criminal charges and issued an arrest warrant for him.

Funston was granted parole on Tuesday and was scheduled to be released later this week.

Funston was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 1999 in connection with child sexual abuse, including kidnapping and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, CDCR said.

Funston is accused of kidnapping and molesting a child in Roseville in 1996, according to Placer County prosecutors.

Funston was convicted in 1999 of kidnapping and child molestation involving multiple victims. He was initially sentenced to three life sentences. However, he was granted parole eligibility under California’s Elderly Parole Program and was scheduled to be released from CDCR custody.

The Placer County District Attorney’s Office said it has refiled charges against Funston stemming from the 1996 case under the state statute of limitations.

He was found eligible for parole at the Parole Hearing Board hearing on September 24, 2025.

On January 9, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom sent the case back to the Board of Parole Hearings for a general review; where the majority of the appointed commissioners reconsidered the previous parole decision. On February 18, 2026, the board reaffirmed its recommendation that Funston receive parole.

A guard walks outside the California Institution for Men in Chino, a state prison. (Ann Johansson/Corbis via Getty Images)

Funston qualified for consideration under California’s statutory Elderly Parole Program; This program allows individuals to be considered for release when they reach age 50 and have served at least 20 consecutive years in prison.

California GOP Chair Corrin Rankin said the last-minute arrest did not solve what she described as broader failures in state policy.

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“This last-minute arrest warrant doesn’t solve the problem; it exposes it. California Democrats, led by Gavin Newsom, built a parole system that is ready and willing to release the violent child predator back into our society. Newsom signed the laws that created these loopholes, appointed the people who supported them, and the Democratic majority in the legislature continues to prioritize the welfare of offenders over victims,” ​​Rankin said.

The former prosecutor who helped put Funston behind bars also weighed in on the issue following the news of the arrest.

“God bless the Placer County District Attorney who charged David Funston for the crimes of this serial child predator,” the former prosecutor said. “Let’s remember @CAgovernor signed the law that allowed this to happen. But Placer DA stepped in to stop this madness.”

For the victims, this debate remains deeply personal.

One of Funston’s victims, Amelia, expressed her anger this week after learning the parole board had approved her release.

“I’m disgusted with the fact that they would believe anything he says,” Amelia told “The Ingraham Angle.” “I don’t believe people change like that.”

Amelia said Funston’s abuse had lasting consequences on her life, including ongoing trauma and difficulty getting pregnant.

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“I would love to have a child and this man took that away from me. Personally, I think it’s very hurtful,” she said. “I’m traumatized. I don’t trust anyone. I don’t trust anything.”

He also expressed concerns about the younger members of the family if Funston returns to the Sacramento area.

“If he gets out, who knows if he’ll do it again?” said Amelia. “I was told he was still fantasizing about children…why did you let this guy go out? How do you not know if he’s going to continue when he gets out?”

Funston reportedly told the parole board that he was “disgusted and ashamed” of his past behavior and was “truly sorry” for the harm he had caused. Amelia rejected this apology.

Funston’s impending release had drawn harsh criticism from Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper and District Attorney Thien Ho, who warned that he remained a danger to society and asked for intervention to halt his release.

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It is not yet clear when Funston will make his first court appearance in Placer County.

Fox News’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crimes including missing persons, murders and immigration crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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