In a decision that reaffirms the severity of his crimes, 63-year-old William Florez, a Modesto resident, has been denied release from Valley State Prison after a recent parole hearing. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office released a statement documenting the outcomes of the hearing where Deputy District Attorney Cindy DeSilva represented the opposition to his release.
A life sentence has bound Florez to the corrections system since 1982 due to a string of violent crimes that he committed in the early 1980s, including rape and kidnapping. Notoriously, in 1981, Florez perpetrated a heinous act where he broke into a Modesto home and kidnapped an 8-year-old girl after terrorizing her and holding her at gunpoint. The child's rescue came one day later, a testament to the diligent work by local law enforcement and critical interventions by a Modesto Police Department officer. This narrative, marked by cruelty, was not isolated; Florez's criminal history included other sexually motivated crimes against women.
During the hearing, DDA DeSilva focused on Florez's potential threat to public safety if released, drawing attention to his in-prison behavior, as well as the nature of his past offenses. Ultimately, the Parole Board sided with the District Attorney's office. The denial means Florez remains behind bars, absent the possibility of parole for a minimum of five more years. Questions or media inquiries about William Florez’s failed parole hearing should be directed to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office via their official email.
