Brommel_David
Convicted arsonist David Allen Brommel who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for setting fire to two Iowa Department Of Human Services facilities, including the one in Knoxville, has been granted work release after serving less than two years.

Brommel was convicted for the Christmas Day 2011 fire at the Knoxville DHS building and for a fire that burned down the Indianola DHS office, as well as drug charges in Warren County.

Marion County Attorney Ed Bull says it’s frustrating and scary that a person receiving a 30 year prison sentence is released after only 23 months served.

“He was sentenced to 30 years, and he is out after only serving 6% of his sentence. In the case of Warren County, they haven’t even rebuilt their DHS building that this defendant burnt down. Yet, he’s out of prison.”

Requests to reconsider Brommel’s sentencing were denied by judges in Marion and Warren Counties in 2013. However, Iowa Department of Corrections Assistant Director Fred Scaletta tells KNIA/KRLS News Brommel’s mandatory minimum sentence expired this past March and he successfully completed all recommended and required programs. Scaletta says the Parole Board determined the risk assessment was at a low level.

Bull believes this is indicative of a bigger problem.

“It is clear that the public needs to understand we really don’t have truth in sentencing in Iowa. Despite the fact the legislature determined a class C felony is an indeterminate sentence not to exceed 10 years, and two different judges believed not only prison was appropriate, but felt the sentences should be run consecutive to each other, the Board of Parole cut his sentence by almost 93% percent. That seems fundamentally wrong to me.”

Brommel will most likely be assigned to a work release facility for approximately six months followed by parole supervision.