Early Parole Denied For Groveland Child Sex Offender
Sonora, CA – A Groveland man sentenced to 36 years in state prison for seven counts of sexual abuse against four children in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties has been denied parole.
That sentence was handed down in 2004 to 50-year-old John Madewell for crimes that spanned over six years. Today, Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke announced that Madewell was found unsuitable for early parole by the Board of Parole Hearings and was issued a three-year denial.
Jenecke detailed, “Madewell qualified for early parole consideration as a youthful offender under Penal Code Section 3501(b)(1) because he was sentenced to a determinate, rather than a life, sentence and he committed his controlling offense when he was 25 years old or younger.”
Although he was given a three-year parole denial in 2021, his hearing was pushed up for good behavior for continuing to attend school and programs and because he had no disciplinary write-ups, according to Jenecke. During that hearing, the board questioned Madewell’s lack of insight into what motivated his crimes, which this latest board also noted. Additionally, this time a psychologist conducted a comprehensive risk assessment and rated him at moderate risk of violent reoffending, meaning he posed a risk to the community if released.
This is the second time that survivors have had to participate in Madewell’s parole hearings. Jenecke relayed that survivors, their families, and Tuolumne County Sheriff Bill Pooley sent letters in opposition to his release. DA Jenecke asserted, “I am grateful for the panel’s careful consideration today. It was clear to me that Madewell continued to lack adequate insight into what motivated his sexual violence. Because of that, his rehabilitation has been insufficient to mitigate the significant risk he poses to the community.” She continued, “I am also grateful to the survivors who continue to participate in this process. Their strength is unmatched, and their voices were heard clearly today. However, I remain eternally frustrated that our system requires those survivors go through this incredibly difficult, scary, and often revictimizing experience to benefit their abuser.”
