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Press Release Index


May 12, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

Elijah Justin Beck sentenced to 10 years state prison for attempted carjacking of elderly victims' vehicles and stabbing

Defendant Elijah Justin Beck was sentenced to 10 years in state prison last week after a Sonoma County jury found him guilty of attempting to carjack two elderly victims’ cars and stabbing another victim at the Fourth Street Safeway parking lot in Santa Rosa. Read full story


May 09, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

Elana Cohen-Roth, 81, Sentenced to 12 Years State Prison for Defrauding Elder Victim of Her Life Savings

Defendant Elana Cohen-Roth, an 81-year-old retired IRS agent of Marina Del Rey, California was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Paige Hein to 12 years in state prison. This sentence follows a jury convicting Cohen-Roth of 23 felony offenses related to the methodical defrauding of an elderly victim of her entire life savings over a seven-year period. Read full story


May 02, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

Petaluma Man Sentenced to Prison for Domestic Violence

Daniel Thomas Beadle, 43 years old, of Petaluma, was sentenced by the Honorable Troye Shaffer to state prison after a jury found him guilty of domestic violence charges on March 26, 2025. Earlier today Judge Shaffer handed down the maximum allowable punishment for these offenses of four years and eight months in state prison. Read full story


April 30, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

Raley’s Pays $400,000 to Settle California Unfair Competition Lawsuit for Sale of Expired Over the Counter Medications

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the District Attorney offices of Yolo County, Sacramento County, Shasta County and San Joaquin County, has reached a settlement with Raley’s supermarkets regarding the sale and offer for sale of expired over the counter (OTC) drugs. The judgment was entered by the Honorable Timothy Fall, in Yolo County Superior Court, on April 21, 2025. Read full story


April 10, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Man Sent to Prison for Maximum Sentence for Murder, Driving Under Influence of Alcohol, and Hit and Run Causing Death After Fatal Fountaingrove Collision

Charles Allen Bernhardy, 39 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced earlier today by the Honorable Judge Laura Passaglia after a jury returned a guilty verdict on March 13, 2025, for the following charges: murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury within 10 years of another DUI offense, hit and run causing death or serious injury, hit and run driving resulting in property damage, and driving under the influence of any drug causing injury within 10 years of another DUI. The jury found true multiple factors in aggravation as well as enhancements. On April 10, 2025, the defendant was sentenced to the maximum possible sentence under the law for these charges, 19 years-to-life in state prison.  Read full story


March 05, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

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


March 04, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

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


February 26, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

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


January 22, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

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


January 06, 2025 | Office of the District Attorney

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