Governor Roy Cooper authorized a broad early-release program during the COVID pandemic that, according to Republican critics, freed dangerous sexual predators and repeat offenders despite official promises to exclude people “serving a sentence for a crime against a person.” This piece details several of the worst cases now known to have been released early, naming offenders and summarizing their convictions and post-release conduct. The information focuses on public records and documented court findings about each individual and the consequences their removals have had for public safety across North Carolina. These cases raise direct questions about the trade-offs made in the name of pandemic-era policy and the real-world costs borne by families and communities.
The early-release initiative was defended at the time as a public-health measure, but the rollout and the exclusions promised did not match the outcomes on the ground. State officials had assured the public that certain categories of prisoners would be ineligible, yet documentation later revealed numerous serious sex offenders on the release list. Republican voices argue that this mismatch reflects poor judgment and an upside-down set of priorities, where activist pressure trumped victims’ safety. The aftermath includes reoffending statistics that worry parents and law enforcement.
Among those identified as having benefited from the early-release policy is Roger Diaz-Castellano, an illegal immigrant from Honduras convicted in 2020 on multiple counts of indecent liberties with minors. Court files indicate he was found guilty on seven counts involving at least six juvenile girls under 16 and that reports of abuse stretch back years. Records say a particular victim “is one of six juvenile females to report inappropriate behavior of sexual abuse at the hands of Diaz-Castellano.” After serving a short term, federal authorities later indicted him for making false statements on immigration paperwork, part of a broader probe into fraudulent claims used to obtain protections. His inclusion on the early-release roster alarms critics who point to the combination of violent sexual crimes and immigration fraud as evidence of systemic failure.
Roger Diaz-Castellano — Offender # 1650580
Diaz-Castellano’s convictions show a pattern of predatory conduct against young children, and the rapidity of his release under the pandemic program has angered victims’ advocates. The federal indictment tied to Operation False Haven highlighted how some dangerous offenders slipped through immigration oversight while also benefiting from state-level leniency. Families in affected communities still feel the impact of decisions made during a chaotic period when public health concerns were used to justify wide clemency. The case illustrates a gap between official promises and operational outcomes.
Jimmie Speight — Offender # 1224591
Jimmie Speight is a repeat sex offender with prior convictions including indecent liberties with a child and violations for failing to register as a sex offender. He was released months earlier than scheduled and was later charged with a string of violent crimes, including second-degree murder, rape, and kidnapping. Reports indicate that after his release he was involved in an incident that included shooting into another vehicle and wandering in public asking for rides, adding to the sense of danger for citizens in his area. Cases like Speight’s are cited by critics as proof that early release without stringent screening invites violent recidivism.
David Walker — Offender # 0728702
David Walker received an 11-year sentence for rape and indecent liberties with a five-year-old girl, with court records describing him engaging the child in sexualized “games” while another toddler watched. The court documented the severe impact on the child, who developed sexual knowledge well beyond her years — a marker of deep trauma. Walker’s history includes other offenses, and despite the nature of his crimes he was among those released early in the pandemic era. For many parents and local officials, his release symbolizes misplaced priorities when public safety should have been paramount.
https://x.com/NRSC/status/2051087636069032387
Calvin L. Fluitt Jr. — Offender # 1143823
Calvin L. Fluitt Jr. is a serial child predator whose criminal record spans more than a decade and includes an early peeping tom conviction followed by abduction and indecent liberties charges. He once told authorities, “Little children arouse me,” a chilling admission cited in court papers. Investigations detailed incidents such as being found kneeling beside a four-year-old with his hands near her genitals and attempts to lure other children. Fluitt’s repeated offenses, parole violations, and multiple releases over the years highlight persistent risks that skeptics say should have disqualified him from pandemic-era release programs.
These four individuals are representatives of a larger problem highlighted by reoffense rates among those released under the program. Nearly half of those freed during the period in question reportedly reoffended, according to subsequent reporting, which colors public perceptions of the policy as reckless. Republican commentators argue the policy sacrificed community safety to satisfy activist demands and administrative convenience, and they call for accountability and stricter criteria in any future emergency releases. The debate now centers on how to prevent similar policy outcomes moving forward while supporting victims and protecting families.
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