Press Release Index
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
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
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
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
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
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
Rohnert Park man sentenced to 8 years in prison for domestic violence causing severe injury
Defendant John Steven Lombardo, forty-nine years old, of Rohnert Park, was sentenced today to serve 8 years in state prison by the Honorable Gloria F. Rhynes after pleading no contest in January of this year to felony charges of domestic violence causing great bodily injury, as well as a violation of a domestic violence criminal protective order. Read full story
Sonoma County Jury Returns Guilty Verdict on 1982 Cloverdale Murder
Defendant James Oliver Unick was convicted today by a Sonoma County jury of murdering 13-year-old Sarah Geer in 1982. As a result of the jury’s verdict of guilty and finding true that the defendant committed a special circumstance related to the sexual assault during the commission of the murder, the defendant will be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Read full story
Sonoma County Domestic Violence Perpetrator Denied Parole
Inmate David Busio Lopez, 52 years old, will remain incarcerated for at least another 7 years following his parole eligibility hearing on January 28, 2026. In 2007 Lopez was convicted by jury of domestic violence against his wife and the court found he had suffered several “strike” priors for beating another victim in 1994. The court sentenced Lopez to 35 years to life under the “three strikes law.” Read full story
Santa Rosa Woman Sentenced to Thirty-Six Years Prison for Child Molestation
Christina Renee Whisman, 45 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced Thursday January 29th by the Honorable Paige Hein to serve 36 years in state prison after pleading no contest in November of last year to three separate charges of engaging in lewd conduct with a child under the age of 14 by force, fear, or duress; one charge of providing cocaine to a minor; and one additional charge of child molestation. Read full story
Translate