Jamie Soria Denied Parole for Sexually Assaulting Young Boys

Published on March 24, 2025

On Friday, March 21st, 2025, at Avenal State Prison, the California Parole Board denied parole for Jamie William Soria, age 54. The Parole Board agreed with the Fresno County District Attorney’s representative that Soria remains a danger to the community and issued a seven-year denial.

On May 26, 2007, a Fresno County jury convicted Mr. Soria on nine felony counts of sexual assault, including one count of sodomy, and subsequently sentenced him to 63 years to life for sexually abusing four young boys.

At the time of his arrest, Soria had been volunteering with youth groups at a large Fresno church and local schools for 14 years. Although he received a lengthy sentence, California’s “Elderly Parole” provision allows inmates who have turned 50 and have served at least 20 years to be eligible for Elderly Parole.

Several of Soria’s victims and their relatives attended the online hearing and spoke in opposition to his parole, citing the lasting damage his actions inflicted on them.

Under current law, Soria can seek to advance his next hearing date and not wait the full seven years before seeking release.

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office will continue to seek justice on behalf of the victims and citizens of Fresno County at his next hearing, despite existing loopholes in the law.

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office routinely attends parole hearings, and Deputy District Attorney Karen Mitchell argued against Soria’s release in this case.

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