A man dubbed the “Senior Stalker” who has been incarcerated for more than three decades will soon be eligible for parole. The Hamilton County prosecutor is urging the public to oppose his release.
Dale Jackson, 71, was given the moniker “Senior Stalker” due to his months-long targeting of adults between the ages of 61 and 95.
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Jackson was convicted on six counts of aggravated burglary, five counts of aggravated robbery, and five counts of robbery in 1989.
Jackson’s convictions are connected to crimes against eight individuals, although he confessed to 15 robberies, the prosecutor’s office said.
Police said at the time he would threaten his female victims, one an 85-year-old woman, with sexual assault to “scare them.” He beat, cut, choked and gagged some victims in their homes before taking their money, according to the prosecutor’s website.
In one case, he returned to an apartment of a woman he choked and threatened. Jackson told her he would come back and “get” her if she reported him to the police. She moved out of fear. When Jackson broke in again and discovered no one home, he took up residence in the apartment. He was observed coming and going. He admitted to police that he would take dishes and utensils from the kitchen to sell on the street, the prosecutor’s website says.
According to a 1988 article from The Enquirer, Jackson had been out of jail for two days after serving a one-year sentence for theft before he started his fall “spree.”
Jackson was sentenced to 90-150 years in prison and will be considered for parole at an August Ohio Parole Board hearing, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Why is Jackson eligible for parole?
Jackson has served more than a third of his minimum sentence.
The Ohio Parole Toolkit states that for most crime convictions after 1996, convicted individuals need to serve at least their minimum sentence. For example, if their sentence is six to nine years, they would have to serve at least six years before being considered for parole.
According to the prosecutor’s office, under Ohio law, inmates regularly became eligible for parole well before their sentences had been served.
Since Jackson’s offenses happened in 1988 and 1989, the old law that was in effect at that time is applied to his case, which is why Jackson is eligible for parole now despite having served only a fraction of his minimum sentence.
Hamilton County Prosecutor is asking the public to oppose Jackson’s release
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich is urging people to write to the Ohio Parole Board and request that Jackson be denied parole.
People who wish to voice their opposition to Jackson’s parole can submit letters of opposition, but must do so before the upcoming Aug. 30 hearing.
To oppose Jackson’s parole, go to the prosecutor’s website or send a written letter to the Ohio Parole Board.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 1980s ‘Senior Stalker’ eligible for parole, prosecutor asking community to oppose
Reporting by Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
