‘I feel betrayed.' Families outraged by early release of undocumented DUI driver who killed 2 teens

Two families united in tragedy are now facing another battle after the DUI driver who killed their children is slated to be released from prison after serving three years of a 10-year sentence.

In November 2021, police say Oscar Eduardo Ortega Anguiano, a convicted felon who was in the country illegally, was driving drunk in Seal Beach when he killed 19-year-old Paul Osokin and his girlfriend, 19-year-old Anya Varfolomeeve, in a crash.

The father of Osokin, Paul, remembers his son as someone talented at everything he tried. From playing music to his studies at Pepperdine University, Paul says his son's bright future was ripped away in an instant.

"Knock on the door and it was a couple of police officers telling us a horrible accident happened, if I want to tell my wife and I don’t want...," said an emotional Paul, recounting the moment he received the terrible news his son had died.

Paul says he doesn't feel anger toward the driver; he just feels numb and wants that person to disappear.

Varfolomeev's father, Anatoly, got the knock a few hours later in Palo Alto.

"And then there was that terrible Sunday, early morning, 3:30 in the morning, when police knocked on our doors. And then it just, the light came out of our life," said Anatoly.

On Easter Sunday, Anatoly's heartbreak turned to rage when he said he got a letter from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) confirming the driver who killed his daughter was scheduled to be released in July, more than six years earlier than his 10-year sentence.

"There are no words to describe that. It's just, it's relieving all the pain and it's -- and I feel betrayed by the system," said Anatoly.

CDCR confirms Ortega Anguiano received 334 days of pre-sentence credits for time served. While it could not provide further details, it says incarcerated persons may earn credits for participating in rehabilitative programming, which may move their parole eligibility dates to an earlier date.

Anya’s father blames political leaders for the injustice in his daughter’s death.

"Gov. Newsom is responsible. Biden administration is responsible. Alejandro Mayorkas, who was running the immigration Homeland Security, he is responsible for the murder of our children along with the criminal who did it," said Anatoly.

Newsom’s press office released a statement saying a GOP district attorney gave Anguiano a plea deal instead of pursuing a second-degree murder charge.

"After being deported in 2013, this individual unlawfully re-entered the U.S. & committed heinous crimes. A GOP DA then gave him a plea deal instead of pursuing 2nd-degree murder. CDCR will again coordinate with ICE — as they have w/ 10,000+ inmates — to transfer him before release," wrote Newsom's office.

In response to the governor's statement, the Orange County District Attorney, Todd Spitzer, wrote in part:

"This was not a plea deal. This was a defendant who pled to the Court and was sentenced by a judge under California law, over the objection of Orange County prosecutors, who unsuccessfully argued for the maximum sentence. It is another stab to the heart of victims across California by Governor Newsom and a state Legislature who are hell-bent on releasing as many criminals as possible without any accountability and without any punishment."

For the families of the two teens, getting justice for them is personal.

"I don’t even talk about illegal or legally in this country, I don’t really care. But releasing a person from prison for killing people after three years? People get punished more for doing nothing," said Paul.

In a post on X, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote that his office has filed a felony immigration charge against Anguiano.

"If the State of California will not seek the full measure of justice against this individual, the @TheJusticeDept will," said Essayli.