Parole conditionally granted for Wendy Lingzoni; board requires additional programming and abstinence supports

The Louisiana Committee on Parole granted conditional parole Oct. 21 to Wendy Lingzoni, who appeared from the Louisiana Transitional Center for Women. The board set programmatic requirements before release and ongoing conditions after release.

Lingzoni, 70, told the board she had been sober for seven years and described spiritual and behavioral changes during her sentence. Family members, including her daughter and other relatives, spoke in support and described stable homes and employment that would receive Lingzoni if she were released. Facility staff said Lingzoni had been housed at the facility since February 2019 and had taken a 90‑day short program; staff said Living in Balance is an 18‑week program comprising two phases and that prerelease programming was required for release.

Board member Jeri LeDoux proposed a conditional grant requiring Lingzoni to complete prerelease and both phases of Living in Balance prior to release, attend Celebrate Recovery or AA/NA at least weekly for six months after release, and submit to elevated drug screens. LeDoux’s motion and the concurrence of other members resulted in a conditional parole grant recorded at about 11:34 a.m., contingent on completion of those programs and continued sobriety monitoring. The board noted Lingzoni’s age, family support and long period of custody but said additional programming would better prepare her for reentry.

If Lingzoni meets the specified requirements, the committee’s order directs parole staff to process conditional release; if she does not, the grant will not be implemented. The committee did not specify a precise release date in the hearing record; release is contingent on the completion of the named programs.