Convicted Sex Offender Receives 5 Year Parole Denial
On January 23, 2026, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 5-year denial of parole for Ronald Thomas, age 68, who is currently serving a life sentence for sex offenses. Thomas is incarcerated at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad.
In early 2019, Thomas, an area transient and convicted sex offender, would frequently park his van at Veterans Park in Porterville and sit in the passenger’s seat with binoculars. Two female victims, ages 13 and 15, would go to the park to skateboard after school. On several occasions, Thomas would whistle and “cat call” the girls, calling them “pretty” and “hot.” On February 19, 2019, the victims called the police.
In May of 2021, a Tulare County jury convicted Thomas of one count of annoying or molesting a child with a prior sex crime conviction, and failure to file a change of address as a sex offender.
In 2018, Thomas was released from prison in Arkansas after serving 22 years for sex crimes against four victims ages 5, 6, 11, and 12. The three crimes included rape, sexual abuse, and sexual solicitation of a child. The crimes constitute as “strikes” under California’s Three Strikes Law. The California crimes occurred less than a year from when he was released from prison. For his 2021 California criminal conviction, he was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.
Despite the lengthy sentence, Thomas became eligible for a parole hearing under provisions of Proposition 57. Under existing California law, the crime of which he was convicted is not considered a “violent” felony; thus, Proposition 57 classifies the defendant as a “non-violent” inmate and designates him as eligible for early parole.
At the hearing, parole commissioners found that Thomas poses an unreasonable risk to public safety. The Office of the District Attorney regularly attends life parole hearings and a deputy district attorney argued against the inmate’s release in this case.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos (559) 636-5494