Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 07/06/05

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards — (707) 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Greg Jacobs Deputy District Attorney: Marianna Lehr

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTER DENIED PAROLE FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that on July 5, 2005, twelve years after Gennaro Gaglione was convicted of sexually abusing a five year old child, the Parole Board determined Gaglione is not fit to be in the community. District Attorney Passalacqua stated that, "This individual clearly poses a danger to children in our community."

In 1982, Gaglione was sentenced to over twenty years on state prison for kidnapping a ten year old child, binding her, and forcing her to orally copulate him and for sexually abusing another child in Marin County. On April 29, 1992, only days after he was released on parole for those offenses, Gaglione saw a five year old child playing outside of her babysitter’s apartment in Sonoma County. Seizing the opportunity, he got out of his car and spoke to the child. He offered the child money to help him with a task in a utility closet. She complied. Once inside the closet, Gaglione exposed his penis and made her touch it. Upon learning where the child was, the babysitter opened the utility closet door, finding Gaglione with the child.

On June 4, 1992 a jury convicted Gennaro Gaglione of committing a lewd and lascivious act against a child under the age of fourteen with force and found his prior convictions to be true. The court sentenced Gaglione to a prison term of fifteen years to life. He is incarcerated at Avenal State Prison.

On July 5, 2005, the Parole Board held a hearing via video conferencing at the District Attorney’s Office to evaluate whether Gaglione is suitable for release. After reviewing the probation report, victim impact statement, psychological evaluations, and Gaglione’s disciplinary records in prison the Board determined Gaglione is not fit to be in the community. The Board further declared that Gaglione will not be eligible for another hearing for two years, the maximum period the law allows. Deputy District Attorney Marianna Lehr handled the hearing for the People.