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Press Release Index


November 15, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office Awarded Grant from the Office of Traffic Safety for Specialized DUI Prosecution Team

Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez has announced that as a result of her office receiving a $516,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), it will be able to continue to have a specialized prosecution team that handles alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases. Read full story


November 07, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Criminal charges not warranted related to July 29, 2022, officer-involved shooting of David Pelaez-Chavez

On July 29, 2022, in a rural area of Sonoma County outside of Healdsburg, David Pelaez-Chavez was shot and killed by a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy. Pursuant to a county-wide protocol in which outside agencies investigate incidents of officer-involved shootings, the Santa Rosa Police Department investigated this shooting. At the conclusion of their investigation, they then provided their investigation to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office to evaluate the appropriateness of any potential criminal charges. Read full story


October 27, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa man sentenced to 18 years in prison for possession of more than 73 pounds of methamphetamine

Defendant Jose Vegasanchez, 29 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Mark Urioste to 18 years in prison. Today’s sentencing follows Vegasanchez’s September convictions related to possession of more than 73 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Read full story


October 23, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Role in 2022 Shooting Near Union Hotel

Defendant Valerie Saenz, 26 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Troye Shaffer to serve 9 years in state prison after pleading “no contest” in May to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery, two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm, shooting at an occupied vehicle, and destroying evidence. Read full story


October 19, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Domestic abuser sentenced to more than 15 years in prison

Defendant Adrian Aldama, 37 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced Wednesday by the Honorable Troye Shaffer to serve 15 years, 4 months in state prison after pleading “no contest” in August to six felonies involving domestic violence causing injury, assault with a deadly weapon, making death threats, and false imprisonment. Read full story


October 05, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Organifi Settles Violations Related to False Advertising of Dietary Supplements

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that her office, as part of the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force, settled a consumer protection action against Organifi, LLC. The case was filed in Monterey County Superior Court by the District Attorney’s offices of Alameda, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, and Sonoma Counties, which together comprise the task force. The civil complaint alleges that the company made false or misleading advertising claims for its dietary supplements, including that the supplements could balance hormone and cortisol levels, regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and replace bad bacteria with good bacteria. Read full story


September 21, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Rohnert Park Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in 2021 Bank Robbery

Defendant Brandon Celis-Sanchez, 24 years old of Rohnert Park, was sentenced today by the Honorable Robert LaForge to serve 7 years, 4 months, in state prison for one count of robbery with a firearm, and two counts of felony false imprisonment stemming from a bank robbery he committed with another man on November 10, 2021. Read full story


September 18, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office Awarded More Than $2 Million To Fight Organized Retail Theft

Today, District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced that the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office has been awarded $2.05 million in grant funding from the State of California’s Organized Retail Theft Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), to combat organized retail theft. Twelve additional prosecutor’s offices and 38 law enforcement agencies across the state were also funded in an effort to dismantle retail theft. Read full story


September 14, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Santa Rosa Man Receives Life Sentence for 2022 Shooting at Mendocino Avenue Taco-Bell

Defendant Brad Adams, 29 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Troye Shaffer following his August convictions for attempted murder and shooting at an occupied building. Per the terms of a plea agreement, Adams was sentenced to 11 years to life in state prison. Read full story


August 21, 2023 | Office of the District Attorney

Windsor Man Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Family Members

Defendant Matthew Moffat, 53 years old of Windsor, was sentenced today by the Honorable Karlene Navarro to serve 24 years plus 750 years to life in prison following his December 2022 conviction by a Sonoma County jury of multiple counts of sexual assault against minors. Read full story