Carlos Enrique Mateo, age 29, from Modesto, has been denied parole by the State Board of Parole after a hearing at Salinas Valley State Prison. The Stanislaus County District Attorney, Jeff Laugero, announced the decision which followed arguments against Mateo's release, presented by Deputy District Attorney Amy Elliott Neumann. This was confirmed in a social media post from the District Attorney's office.
Convicted of manslaughter in 2010, Mateo is serving a 21-year sentence but was considered for early release under California's youthful offender law, being 15-years old at the time of his crime. His manslaughter conviction stems from a dispute with his then-roommate, which ended when he shot Michael Steven Chandler. The victim managed to reach a police station for aid before succumbing to his injury. While serving time, Mateo has further tarnished his record with another assault conviction and has incurred four major rule violations, facts that weighed heavily during his parole proceedings.
The Parole Board determined that Mateo has not shown the maturity necessary for release and still poses a risk to public safety. His continued disciplinary issues in prison indicated ongoing criminal thinking and behavior, leading the Board to align with Prosecutor Neumann's position. Consequently, the Board denied parole for seven years, rather than granting a minimum length denial.
Questions and media inquiries regarding this decision and Mateo's case can be directed to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office at [email protected].
