Santa Rosa Man Sentenced for 2017 Shooting

Defendant Yonas Tesfai Gebremariam, 40 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced yesterday to serve 18 years, plus 27 years-to-life in state prison following his conviction by a jury in April of committing multiple felonies related to a February 2017 shooting at a Santa Rosa residence.  Gebremariam was convicted by the jury of attempted voluntary manslaughter and assault with use of a semi-automatic firearm causing great bodily injury after he confronted the victim at a home on Mohawk Street in Santa Rosa. During the assault Gebremariam shot the victim three times resulting in the victim suffering life threatening injuries. The victim remained in a coma for three weeks, followed by multiple surgeries to repair damage to his abdomen. 

In addition to the the verdicts by the jury, the trial court found true that Gebremariam had previously been convicted of two prior violent crimes, one of which included assault with a firearm.  Because of those prior convictions Gebremariam was eligible to be sentenced under the state’s “three strikes” law, which was designed to increase punishment for repeat violent offenders.  

The case was tried by Deputy District Attorney Thomas Gotshall and assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dave Lundgren. The Honorable Bradford DeMeo presided over the three week trial and sentenced the defendant. Detective Hector DeLeon of the Santa Rosa Police Department headed the investigation.