But NBC 7 found at least two San Diego County cases where people had been held for decades on offenses that were not legally qualifying for the program.
According to the District Attorney’s office, Rance E. Winters, 62, was committed to the MDO program back in 1999 after pleading guilty to starting a grass fire with paint thinner two years earlier and having his parole revoked. The California Board of Parole Hearings approved Winters’ commitment to the MDO program.
Winters’ offense unlawfully starting a fire or penal code 452(c) is not a legally qualifying offense for confinement past an offender’s release date under the MDO law. And now, the DA’s office said it has “notified Mr. Winters attorney in the Public Defender s Office so steps can be taken to end Mr. Winters participation in the MDO program.”