By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–A 68-year-old convicted rapist was denied parole for three years after serving only 32 years of a 96-year and eight-month prison sentence, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced.
Kenneth Bogard’s previous parole request was denied in 2024. Although he has served less than half of his sentence, Bogard qualifies for elderly parole, which is available to inmates over the age of 50, who have served at least 20 years of their sentence.
He was convicted by a jury in 1995 of 37 felonies, including multiple counts of residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, sexual battery, forcible oral copulation, rape by foreign object, assault with intent to commit rape, and rape. He was sentenced to 96 years and eight months in prison. His first parole hearing was in 2019. At that time, the Parole Board denied his request and set his next hearing for five years later, which was May 2024 and he was denied an additional three years in 2024. The hearing was advanced through an Administrative Review process.
“We are grateful the board recognized that this offender continues to pose an unacceptable risk to public safety and denied parole,” DA Stephan said. “This serial rapist was sentenced by a judge to 96 years and eight months in prison because of the devastating harm he inflicted on multiple victims. Yet after serving only 32 years, California’s Elder Parole law required those victims to once again relive the trauma they have endured for decades. That process is deeply painful and unfair to survivors of violent crime. Our Lifer Unit will continue to stand beside victims at every parole hearing, ensuring their voices are heard and advocating to keep dangerous offenders behind bars whenever public safety demands it.”
The parole hearing was held remotely by Microsoft Teams at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California.
Effective January 2021, inmates who are both age 50 and have served at least 20 years in prison are now eligible for an elderly parole hearing in most cases. Inmates who are 60 and have served at least 25 years are also eligible for an elderly parole hearing, with the only exclusions being life without parole and death sentences.
Between August 1992 and October 1993, Bogard brutally attacked seven women inside their homes in the Pacific Beach community. He stalked his victims prior to the attacks, sometimes watching them for weeks. He disguised his identity with a ski mask, carried a knife to force the victims into submission, and viciously forced them to perform sex acts. Bogard stalked the women to ensure they were home alone, then he creeped into their homes without detection before attacking. After the cruel attacks, Bogard often tucked the victim into bed saying “Goodnight” or reminding the victim to lock her doors and windows.
Deputy District Attorney John Cross of the DA’s Lifer Unit handled today’s hearing.
The DA’s Lifer Unit is responsible for handling parole hearings for inmates serving life sentences in California state prisons. The unit’s main role is to represent the interests of victims, their families, and public safety by advocating against the release of dangerous offenders when appropriate.
The Board of Parole Hearings will not set a new parole hearing for at least three years.
