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A convicted child molester in California who was set to be released this week was turned over to authorities after a new arrest warrant was issued in Placer County, state officials confirmed.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said that at approximately 7:30 a.m., David Allen Funston, 64, was transferred to law enforcement after Placer County filed new criminal charges and issued an arrest warrant.
Funston had been granted parole on Tuesday and was scheduled for release later this week.
The CDCR said Funston was sentenced in 1999 to life in prison with the possibility of parole in connection with child sexual abuse, including kidnapping and lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old.
Mug shot of David Allen Funston, a Sacramento County child predator convicted in 1999 on multiple counts of kidnapping and child abuse. Funston was granted parole under the California Senior Parole Program after serving more than two decades in prison. (X/@sacsheriff)
Funston is accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a child in Roseville in 1996, according to Placer County prosecutors.
Funston was convicted in 1999 of kidnapping and child abuse with multiple victims. He was originally sentenced to three life sentences. However, under the California Elder Parole Program, he was granted parole and scheduled for release from CDCR custody.
The Placer County District Attorney's Office said it refiled charges against Funston stemming from the 1996 case within the state's statute of limitations.
He was declared eligible for parole at a hearing before the Parole Hearing Board on September 24, 2025.
On January 9, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom referred the case to the Board of Parole Hearings for a full review, in which a 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 elder parole program, which allows people to be considered for release once they turn age 50 and have served at least 20 consecutive years of incarceration.
California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin said the last-minute arrest does not address what she described as broader failures in state politics.
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“This last-minute order doesn't fix the problem, it exposes it. California Democrats, led by Gavin Newsom, created a parole system that was ready and willing to release a violent child predator back into our community. Newsom signed the laws that created these loopholes, appointed the people who defend them, and the Democratic majority in the legislature continues to prioritize the well-being of criminals over victims,” Rankin said.
The former prosecutor who helped put Funston behind bars also weighed in after news of the arrest.
“God bless the Placer County Prosecutor for charging David Funston with crimes committed by this serial child predator,” the former prosecutor said. “Let's remember that @CAgovernor signed the law that allows this to happen. But Placer DA stepped in to stop this madness.”
For victims, the controversy remains deeply personal.
One of Funston's victims, identified as Amelia, expressed outrage this week after learning that the parole board had approved her release.
“I'm disgusted by the fact that they believed anything he said,” Amelia told “The Ingraham Angle.” “I don't think people will like that change.”
Amelia said Funston's abuse has had lasting consequences on her life, including ongoing trauma and difficulty conceiving.
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“I would love to have a child, and this is what this man took from me. And I feel like, personally, that's very painful,” she said. “I have a trauma. I don't trust anyone. I don't trust anything.”
He also expressed concern for younger family members if Funston returned to the Sacramento area.
“If he gets out, who knows if he'll do it again?” Amelia said. “I'm told he still fantasizes about children…why would you let this man out? When he gets out, how do you not know if he'll continue?”
Funston reportedly told the parole board that he was “disgusted and embarrassed” by his past behavior and “truly sorry” for the harm he caused. Amelia rejected that 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 the community and sought intervention to stop 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, homicides and crimes against migrants. Send story tips to [email protected].
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