When Dana Beatty finally learned the identity of the man who broke into her Columbia‑Tusculum condo and assaulted her in 1989, she thought justice had been served. Frederick Tanzer, a former local doctor and the ex‑husband of Beatty’s best friend, was sentenced in January 2025 to the maximum 15‑year federal term for lying to federal investigators.
First Step Act raises new concerns
Beatty’s relief turned to alarm after she was told Tanzer had been approved to earn credits under the First Step Act, a 2018 federal law that lets eligible prisoners reduce their sentences by completing approved programs. While the law is intended to help inmates re‑enter society, it does not apply to all offenses.
Ohio State University law professor Douglas Berman explained that people convicted of federal sexual‑abuse crimes are generally barred from earning those credits. “If he had been convicted of the rape, he wouldn’t be eligible,” Berman said. “But he was not convicted of a federal sexual‑abuse offense; he was convicted of lying to agents.”
Eligibility does not guarantee release
Berman cautioned that eligibility alone does not guarantee an early release. Prison officials ultimately decide how credits are applied, and the seriousness of the underlying crime may still influence the outcome. “It may still be the case that the very serious crime he lied about that got him incarcerated could play a role in how those credits are combined,” he added.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson told WLWT that Tanzer’s projected release date is June 2, 2037, and directed questions about the First Step Act to the agency’s website.
Survivor’s call for accountability
For Beatty, the possibility that Tanzer could leave prison early is frightening. “I can’t sit here after what I’ve been through and let these poor victims not have a chance to get justice that they deserve,” she said.
The case underscores how federal sentencing reforms can intersect with local victims’ concerns, prompting calls for clearer guidelines on which offenses qualify for early‑release credits.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
