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Rothenberg Will Not Be Charged

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State Department of Corrections officials said Friday they will not charge Charles Rothenberg with a parole violation for running from a parole agent who suspected him of shoplifting and questioned him at his San Francisco Bay Area apartment Thursday night.

Rothenberg, 51, surrendered to parole officials at an arranged location four hours later, after they reportedly promised him he would not be returned to prison.

Corrections spokesman Tipton C. Kindel said Friday that the parole status of Rothenberg, who torched his son with kerosene nine years ago in a Buena Park motel, would remain unchanged.

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In interviews with the Times before and after his surrender, Rothenberg said he fled because he feared he was being set up for a shoplifting charge, which could have resulted in his return to prison.

Kindel and Rothenberg agreed that Rothenberg fled after the parole agent questioned whether he had paid for two inexpensive plaques found in his possession.

But Kindel denied there was any intent to frame Rothenberg, who said he bolted and “called the Times to cover my ass” when the incident occurred.

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