A former New York parole commissioner says she lost her job after objecting to the release of a convicted killer who allegedly threatened to torture and murder her. The case has put a harsh spotlight on the state’s parole system, where warnings about a prisoner’s alleged threats collided with a decision to let him walk free.
Tyece Drake denied Matthew Svanberg parole in 2023, then warned state officials after a fellow inmate sent a letter alleging that Svanberg had threatened her in a racist tirade. As detailed by The New York Post, Drake says she was replaced after repeatedly objecting to Svanberg’s release and now considers herself a whistleblower.
A 1993 Long Island Murder Led To The Parole Fight
Svanberg was 20 when he fatally shot 26-year-old gas station attendant Dennis Folk during a 1993 robbery in Ridge on Long Island. He fled to Las Vegas, bragged about the killing while on the run, and eventually served roughly 25 years behind bars before being released on parole in May 2024, according to reporting from News 12.
Drake had interviewed Svanberg as one of three board members and wrote the decision denying his parole. A later panel led by Commissioner Tana Agostini approved his release, while a Dutchess County judge ruled that Svanberg could not be denied parole solely because of the seriousness of his original crime, the Post reported.
DOCCS Disputed Why Drake Left The Board
Drake says she was told in June 2025 that she was being replaced after complaining about Svanberg’s release to state officials, parole leaders and politicians. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, however, said her appointment term had ended, according to the documents reviewed by the Post.
DOCCS also investigated the alleged threats and determined they were unsubstantiated. The inmate who reportedly wrote the warning later denied writing it, and Svanberg denied making the threats when questioned, although an investigator noted that “unsubstantiated” did not necessarily mean the threats never occurred, the Post reported.
What New York’s Parole Law Requires
New York law requires the Board of Parole to assess whether a person is likely to remain law-abiding, whether release is compatible with public welfare and whether release would undermine respect for the law. The statute also directs the board to weigh factors including the crime, prior record, prison conduct, rehabilitation and victim-related recommendations, according to the New York State Senate.
Drake has insisted that Svanberg should be returned to prison and has called for changes in parole leadership. Svanberg now lives with his brother on Long Island and has worked for the family’s surf and kayak business, but the dispute over his release is far from settled for the former commissioner who says the system punished her for raising the alarm.
