
A California pedophile imprisoned for a horrific string of sex crimes could soon walk free after being granted parole under a controversial law signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Gregory Lee Vogelsang, 57, has been granted early release thanks to a 2020 law that offers parole to “elderly” convicts 50 and older who have served 20 or more years in prison.
Vogelsang molested several children in the ’90s in the Sacramento area before being convicted on dozens of felony counts, including a lewd act on a child, kidnapping a child to commit a lewd act, and lewd act on a child with force or violence.
He was sentenced to 355 years to life in prison, but in November appeared before a three-person parole board that granted his release.
The governor’s office has referred his case to full parole board for final review on March 18.
“The California Board of Parole Hearings is at it again,” the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post about the decision.
“They have granted early release via the Elderly Parole program to sexually violent predator Gregory Vogelsang, who molested more than five children in Citrus Heights and was sentenced to over 300 years in prison for his crimes. And he is headed to a neighborhood near you.”
The sheriff’s office went on to state that the state’s “elderly parole system is broken.”
Under the previous rules, inmates were eligible for elder parole only after serving at least 25 years of their sentence and reaching age 60.
But at the start of 2021, the law was loosened in an effort to ease prison overcrowding, allowing inmates to apply for parole after serving just 20 years once they turn 50.
Anti-crime advocates are crying out against the potential release of Vogelsang, who is currently incarcerated at Valley State Prison in Sacramento.
“The latest grant of parole to another serial child sexual predator reveals the insanity of the elderly parole law that Governor Newsom signed,” former Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert told The Post. “It’s time to put the safety of victims and everyday citizens over serial sex offenders.”
California Republicans have also blasted Newsom over the parole law.
“Releasing a child predator with a sentence like that is a complete failure of judgment. They must reverse this decision, and I’m renewing my call for @cagovernor to remove and replace these commissioners,” state Sen. Suzette Valladares wrote on X.
“Unbelievable! This policy enacted by Gavin Newsom and the Democrat majority must be reversed ASAP! Email the parole board today and tell them Stop Releasing Child Predators,” state Assemblyman James Gallagher added on X.
Last month, officials granted parole to one of Sacramento County’s most reviled child predators, David Allen Funston, who kidnapped and molested at least eight children in the mid-’90s.
Amid outrage over the decision, Funston was slapped with new charges just hours before he was due to be released.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!


