‘This is an outrage.’ Madera DA seeks to keep convicted arsonist from parole in county

Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno on Friday called for victims of 2013 Yosemite Lakes Park fires to sign petitions asking to keep convicted arsonist Kenneth Allen Jackson from returning to the area where he set multiple fires.

He is scheduled for release on parole Tuesday, according to Moreno.

Jackson was convicted in 2014 of being a serial arsonist who set multiple fires in six weeks in the area. Moreno said “this is an outrage” that Jackson has served only eight years of an original 30-year prison term.

Moreno said the California Department of Corrections was not transparent in its release process, only notifying officials “when someone like this man who terrorized our community is getting out at the last minute.”

She said the goal of the petition is to convince the CDC to release Jackson into another county. She asked those who were victims of fires to sign the petition from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday in front of Yosemite Lakes Park Community Church at 43840 Patrick Ave. The goal was to fax them to CDC officials by a 4:30 p.m. deadline.