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Arizona Man Sentenced to 50 Years to Life For Petaluma Murder
Defendant Paul Coilton, fifty-nine years old of Salome, Arizona, was sentenced today by the Honorable Laura Passaglia to serve a term of 50 years-to-life in state prison after having pled guilty in February to a charge of first-degree murder and admitting an enhancement for using a firearm during the commission of the murder. Read full story
Santa Rosa Man Granted Probation Over District Attorney’s Objection Following Convictions for Sexually Assaulting And Disfiguring A Stranger
Defendant Trevor Colombano, 38 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Dana Simonds to a term of probation after he pled “no contest” to charges including mayhem (with a further allegation that he used a deadly weapon,) assault with a deadly weapon (with a further allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim,) as well as sexual battery. The District Attorney’s Office, the Court’s Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the victim, all recommended or requested Colombano be sentenced to state prison. Read full story
US Foods CHEF’STORE Resolves Allegations of Price Overcharges and False Advertising
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that Smart Foodservice Stores LLC, doing business as US Foods CHEF’STORE, entered into a stipulated judgment and will pay $251,293.27 to settle a civil law enforcement complaint that alleged the wholesale grocer engaged in false advertising and unfair competition by charging consumers prices that were not the lowest advertised price or price listed on the shelf. US Foods CHEF’STORE operates 17 stores in California including Sonoma County. Judgment was entered on February 25, 2025, by Judge Jane Gaskell. Read full story
Santa Rosa man sentenced to 12 years 4 months state prison for Comstock Park homicide-robbery
Defendant Manuel Anthony Rivera, 24 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Troy Shaffer to a prison term of 12 years and 4 months in state prison following his convictions for voluntary manslaughter and two counts of attempted robbery. Read full story
Two Cousins Sentenced to Hundreds of Years in Prison After Child Molestation Convictions
On Thursday January 2, 2025, Judge Mark Urioste sentenced Giovany Neftali Barrientos-Perez to serve 500 years 4 months to life, and sentenced Bayron Vasquez to serve 485 years to life in state prison, for crimes committed against multiple children. The sentencing was the culmination of a nearly six-week trial after which both men were convicted of a combined 43 counts of child molestation. The guilty verdicts included convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, sexual intercourse with a child under the age of eleven, aggravated sexual assault of a child, forcible rape of a child, and the continuous sexual abuse of a minor. Read full story
Child Murderer Denied Parole
Defendant Robert Michael Mills, 63 years old of Santa Rosa, was denied parole Tuesday morning following a hearing conducted by the California Board of Parole Hearings. Mr. Mills is currently serving a life sentence in state prison after a jury in 1989 found him guilty of murder by torture and child abuse. Read full story
Valley Pacific Petroleum Services, Inc. Pays $1.1 Million Dollars to Settle California Environmental Violations
District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that her office, in conjunction with the District Attorneys of Fresno County, Humboldt County, Kern County, Shasta County, San Joaquin County and Tulare County, settled a civil enforcement action against Valley Pacific Petroleum Servicves Inc., dba Renner Petroleum for violations of Environmental Laws and Regulations in the amount of $1.1 million dollars. The Stipulated Judgment was signed on November 19, 2024, by the Honorable Bradford DeMeo. Read full story
Office of Traffic Safety Awards $537,121 Grant to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office for Specialized DUI Prosecution Team
Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office announced today that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support a specialized prosecution team that handles alcohol- and drug-impaired driving cases. The grant program runs through September 2025. Read full story
Parole Denied in The 2012 Vehicular Murder Of Jesse Garcia
Heather Anne Howell, 41 years old of Santa Rosa, was denied parole yesterday following a hearing in front of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Board of Parole Hearings. Read full story
Safeway, Albertsons, and Vons Pay Nearly $4 Million to Resolve Allegations of Price Overcharges and False Weight Advertising
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that Safeway, Albertsons, and Vons entered into a stipulated judgment and will pay $3,962,500 to settle a civil law enforcement complaint that alleged the grocers engaged in false advertising and unfair competition. Safeway Inc., Albertsons Companies, and The Vons Companies operate 589 stores in California under the brand name banners of Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and others. Read full story