California Parole Board Recommends Release of Serial Child Molester

Gregory Vogelsang, sentenced to 355 years for molesting six boys, could be freed after serving just 27 years

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:06am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The California parole board has recommended the release of Gregory Vogelsang, a serial child molester who was sentenced to 355 years in prison for molesting six boys between the ages of 5 and 11 in the 1990s. Despite Vogelsang's own admission that his behavior escalates from fantasy to molestation to kidnapping and even murder, and the parole board's own assessment that he poses an "above average" risk of reoffending, they have decided he has served enough time and should be freed.

Why it matters

This case highlights the failures of California's Elderly Parole Program, which allows inmates 50 or older who have served at least 20 consecutive years to receive a specialized parole suitability hearing. The program has previously released other convicted serial child sex offenders, raising serious concerns about public safety and the parole board's decision-making process.

The details

Vogelsang molested six boys in the 1990s, grooming them by building trust with their parents before inviting the children to sleepovers, buying them gifts, and taking them on outings. When authorities found boys' underwear in his possession, he admitted the items belonged to his victims and said he kept them for sexual stimulation. Despite being sentenced to 355 years in prison, the parole board has now recommended his release after he has served only 27 years.

  • Vogelsang was sentenced to 355 years in prison in the 1990s.
  • Vogelsang has served 27 years of his 355-year sentence.
  • The California parole board has now recommended Vogelsang's release through the state's Elderly Parole Program.

The players

Gregory Vogelsang

A 57-year-old serial child molester who was sentenced to 355 years in prison for molesting six boys between the ages of 5 and 11 in the 1990s.

Thien Ho

The Sacramento County District Attorney who announced the parole board's recommendation to release Vogelsang.

Jim Cooper

The Sacramento County Sheriff who criticized the parole board's decision, stating that Vogelsang "is a predator" and "belongs in prison for the rest of his life."

Gavin Newsom

The Governor of California, who has limited options to reverse the parole board's decision but has referred the case back to the board for another review.

Corrin Rankin

The chairwoman of the California Republican Party, who criticized Newsom's "hand-picked parole board" for approving the release of "a monster who preyed on young children."

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You have to stop masturbating to images of (a) child in your mind or real child pornography because that leads to molestation, and molestation leads to kidnapping. And the kidnapping leads ultimately to the murder of a child.”

— Gregory Vogelsang

“He is a predator, and a lot of folks don't realize that. You don't rehabilitate sex offenders. Mr. Vogelsang belongs in prison for the rest of his life.”

— Jim Cooper, Sacramento County Sheriff

“Once again, Gavin Newsom's hand-picked parole board has decided that a monster who preyed on young children deserves freedom after decades behind bars. This insanity must stop now. Gov. Newsom needs to reverse this decision immediately, fire the commissioners who keep approving these releases and finally put victims and public safety first.”

— Corrin Rankin, Chairwoman of the California Republican Party

What’s next

Governor Newsom has referred the case back to the larger Board of Parole Hearings for another review, as is his only legal remedy in cases such as these.

The takeaway

This case highlights the failures of California's Elderly Parole Program, which has repeatedly released convicted serial child sex offenders despite clear evidence that they still pose a significant threat to public safety. The decision to potentially free Gregory Vogelsang after just 27 years of a 355-year sentence raises serious concerns about the parole board's priorities and the need for legislative reform to better protect vulnerable children in California.