BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — The California Board of Parole Hearings has denied parole for Carlos Smith, a convicted robber and violent inmate, citing his continued risk to public safety.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office announced the decision, which was made during Smith’s third parole hearing on Nov. 13. Smith, now 65, was initially convicted on Oct. 20, 1998, for multiple counts of robbery with a firearm and sentenced to 83 years and four months in state prison. His parole was previously rescinded in July 2024 after an investigation revealed he had unlawfully received unemployment money from the government.
During his incarceration, partly at Kern Valley State Prison, Smith was involved in a violent incident on May 18, 2017, where he slashed a cellmate’s face, resulting in an additional four-year sentence for assault with a deadly weapon. Despite being eligible for parole under California’s Elderly Parole program, Smith’s lack of transparency and continued criminal behavior led to the denial of his release…