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Press Release Index


July 10, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole in 1982 Cloverdale Murder Case

Defendant James Oliver Unick, 64-years-old of Willows, CA, was sentenced this afternoon by the Honorable Laura Passaglia to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole after a Sonoma County jury found him guilty as charged in February of first degree murder and a special circumstance related to the sexual assault that occurred during the commission of the murder. Read full story


June 03, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Violent Gang Member Denied Parole

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Inmate Yai Phanchanh, 39 years old of Santa Rosa, will remain incarcerated at this time following a parole hearing held this morning at California State Prison, Solano. This was Phanchanh’s first parole hearing following his 2003 conviction for second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement arising out of a gang-related shooting that occurred in Rohnert Park. Read full story


May 28, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Court Sentences Man to Serve 8 Years in State Prison Following Domestic Violence Knife Attack in Windsor

Defendant Daniel Omrado-Gonzalez (AKA Daniel Tirado) a transient 43-year-old, was sentenced today by the Honorable Kenneth Gnoss to serve 8 years in state prison after a Sonoma County jury found him guilty as charged in April to charges including domestic violence with great bodily injury. Read full story


May 14, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Herc Rentals, Inc. Settles Environmental Protection Case for $243,291

Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today the settlement of an environmental protection lawsuit against Herc Rentals, Inc., which was approved by the Sonoma County Superior Court. The defendant will pay $243,291 to settle a civil law enforcement complaint alleging that Herc Rentals violated California’s Underground Storage of Hazardous Substances laws and regulations at its Rohnert Park facility.  Read full story


May 07, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Father With Rock

Defendant Patrick Schieber of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced today to 15 years to life in the state prison by the Honorable Laura Passaglia for the murder of his elderly father in 2023. Read full story


April 29, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Man and Repeat Domestic Violence Offender Sentenced to Prison for Maximum Term Allowed by Law

Defendant Aaron Perez-Gonzalez, 29 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Laura Passaglia to the maximum prison term allowed by law after pleading no contest to domestic violence with a prior conviction and committing a new act of domestic violence while awaiting sentencing. Read full story


April 07, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Child Molester Sentenced to Life in Prison

Gabriel Sanchez, 26 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Kristine Burk to serve a term of 35 years to life in state prison after pleading “no contest” in March of this year to six separate charges including committing a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14; committing a lewd act upon a child by force, fear, or duress; contacting a child for the purpose of child molestation; and manufacturing of child pornography. Sanchez’s six convictions related to three different victims. Read full story


March 25, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Carmax Settles Consumer Protection Case for $1.1 Million

Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez, along with the District Attorneys of Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Francisco, and Ventura Counties, announced today the settlement of a consumer protection lawsuit against CarMax, which was approved by the Santa Clara Superior Court. The defendant will pay $1.1 million to settle a civil law enforcement complaint alleging that CarMax failed to timely transfer registrations and ownership documents for used car buyers across California. Read full story


March 10, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Molesting Multiple Children

Juan Ferrel-Gonzalez, 42 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Ken Gnoss to serve a total sentence of 342 years to life in prison after being convicted in December of 2025 of multiple sexual assault crimes against 4 minors. Read full story


March 04, 2026 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Man Receives Life Sentence for Joe Rodota Trail Shooting

Defendant Steven Carter Strawn, forty-three years old, of Santa Rosa, was sentenced this morning by the Honorable Lynnette Brown to serve 50 years to life after he was convicted by a jury on November 10, 2025, for two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with an assault weapon, possession of an assault weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant had previously been convicted of three prior strike offenses under California’s Three Strikes Law. Read full story