Kidnapper of Pacifica Woman Denied Parole Because of Smuggled Cellphone

Steve Wagstaffe, San Mateo County District Attorney, thought Bernard Jackmon--currently serving three life sentences in state prison for at knifepoint, sexually assaulting a San Francisco woman and date raping a 19-year-old Daly City woman in 1986--had "a pretty good chance" at being granted parole this afternoon.

In fact, these days, Wagstaffe explained, a prisoner who has been on good behavior for a sustained period of time is a likely candidate for parole.  

But, much to the surprise of Wagstaffe's deputy district attorney who attended Jackmon's parole hearing at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, CA this afternoon, after ten years with a clean slate in the state's penal system, the inmate committed a major rule violation just last week: he was making calls from a smuggled cellphone, Wagstaffe said. 

When guards caught Jackmon with the phone, he attempted to flush it down the toilet and destroy the evidence; another no-no. 

"It's a very significant problem in state prison system, they're smuggling in cellphones all the time," Wagstaffe said. "They're a very dangerous thing for inmates to have."

With the rule violation in mind, the parole board told Jackmon he'd have to wait another five years before seeking parole again.

According to Wagstaffe, it could have been worse for the sex offender and kidnapper. The board could have denied him a chance at parole for another 15 years. Jackmon will likely need to adhere to prison rules to a T for another sustained period of time before he's successful in seeking parole, however. 

"The good news is we don’t have to think about him for another five more years," Wagstaffe said. 

For more on Jackmon's crimes, check out published earlier today on Pacifica Patch.