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An illegal immigrant from Mexico serving a 139-year prison sentence for raping and impregnating his underage stepdaughter will be eligible for parole for a second time in the coming months because of a loophole in legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Israel Ceja’s early release was blocked Wednesday after a review by a parole board convened by Newsom following pressure from Yolo County District Attorney Jeffrey Reisig. An official with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed to Fox News Digital that Ceja’s new order was issued.
Reisig is calling on Newsom and California lawmakers to “stop the madness” by closing loopholes in the state’s Adult Parole Program that allow child rapists to be considered eligible for parole.
“No one wants this,” Reisig told Fox News Digital. “The general public does not want this, and all they do is torture, torture the victims and the communities. No one wants these boys to return to their community.”
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom takes questions from the media after announcing that the state is suing the White House to restore SNAP funding before closing a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. (Fred Greaves/Reuters)
A jury convicted Ceja, 63, in 2000 of abusing his stepdaughter, Roxanne Cruz, which began when she was 11 in 1993. With about 20% of his sentence served, Ceja was granted early release by a two-commissioner parole board panel in January, even though he did not speak to the Yolo County prosecutor. more than 20 years ago, according to Reisig.
“It’s twisted,” Reisig said. “These are twisted things.”
In 2020, Newsom signed legislation amending the Elderly Parole Program by lowering the eligibility age for inmates to 50 by 20 years. The program was established in 2014 eligibility was set at 65 and 25 years were given. Democrats advanced the legislation in a package of criminal justice reforms aimed at addressing prison overcrowding.
While inmates with three felonies, serving life in prison without parole, or facing the death penalty are not eligible for the program, felons convicted of violent crimes — including sex crimes against children — are.
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Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig is calling on California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California lawmakers to close loopholes that allow child abusers to be eligible for early parole. (Yolo County District Attorney)
Fox News Digital reported in February that David Allen Funston, who kidnapped and molested at least eight children in the Sacramento area in the 1990s, was granted parole under the Elder Parole Program.
Both Democratic and Republican California lawmakers have introduced legislation in recent months to ensure that convicted sex offenders are not eligible for early parole.
One of those measures introduced by California Republican State Sen. Roger Niello was killed in the Senate Public Safety Committee earlier this week.
Niello in a statement released to the press said he was “disappointed” that his initiative, which would have released criminals convicted of rape, homosexuality, lewd acts and other sexual offenses from being eligible for adult parole, was defeated.
Last month, Democratic State Assembly member Stephanie Nguyen introduced Assembly Bill 2727, which raises the age for those convicted of sex crimes to seek parole from 50 to 65 and requires them to undergo a psychiatric evaluation through the Department of State Hospitals. When the measure passed the House Public Safety Committee earlier this month, the final marker struck down provisions that would have barred violent sex offenders sentenced to life in prison from seeking early parole.
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David Allen Funston, who was convicted in 1999 of multiple kidnapping and child molestation charges in Sacramento County, was granted parole under the California Elderly Parole program after serving more than two decades in prison. (@sacsheriff/X)
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Reisig called on Newsom to issue an executive order barring child abusers from the system, citing Newsom’s previous order to freeze the death penalty as evidence of his power.
“He can issue a decision to stop any amnesty for adult child rapists,” Reisig said. “He doesn’t want to admit it, but it’s a death sentence for him. He can do it here.”
“Stand up, protect the children,” Resig continued. “Stop letting child rapists get away early.”
An official from Newsom’s office noted that the governor only has the power to revoke the grant of parole in murder cases, adding that in all other cases the governor can return the decision to the Parole Hearing Board for a full review by the commissioner.
Less than 12% of scheduled parole hearings result in Board funding, an official explained to commissioners who rely on “rigorous” and “multiple” steps that include “the use of proven risk assessment tools” in their decision-making. Commissioners want to ensure that the grants “do not pose a significant risk to public safety.”
But during Ceja’s parole hearing, Ceja admitted to commissioners that he had sexual dreams about his victim in prison, and “couldn’t remember” when he had the last one, but was praying for relief, according to a transcript obtained by Fox News Digital.
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“You don’t understand what he meant when he said “he will pray.” He told you right then and there what he was going to do,” said Cruz about his abuser during a press conference. “That he would go out and eat children, not that he would pray to God.”
During the trial, Ceja said he would return to Mexico, where he left illegally at the age of 15. The commissioners agreed that Ceja could be deported to Mexico when he is released from prison. Commissioner Neil Schneider said they are not “freeing a dangerous person” in Mexico but Ceja would be a “very good citizen” there.
In a press conference last month, Newsom acknowledged concerns about the Elderly Exemption Program, saying it needs to be “scrutinized” when it comes to the state’s handling of sex offenders.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
