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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
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced To 39 Years-To-Life in Prison For Point-Blank Shooting in Residential Neighborhood
Defendant Jose Figueroa Baltazar, 30-years-old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Troye K. Shaffer to serve 39 years-to-life in state prison after being convicted by a jury in April of premeditated attempted murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and assault with a firearm. On the day of trial, Baltazar pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Therefore, the jury did not consider those charges. The defendant’s sentence also included a sentencing enhancement for a prior “strike” conviction. Read full story
Home Depot Settles Violations Related to California Price Accuracy Law for $1,977,251
District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that her office, in conjunction with the District Attorneys of the Counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, and Alameda, settled a civil enforcement action against Home Depot U.S.A., Inc (“Home Depot”) for violations of California’s Price Accuracy, False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition law. The Stipulated Judgment entered on August 26, 2024, by Judge Richard S. Whitney, provides that the company will pay $1,977,251 in civil penalties, costs, and restitution. Read full story
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced To Local Prison For More Than Nine Years For Stealing More Than $350,000 From Customers Of His Classic Car Restoration Business
Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez announced today that defendant Suede Lee Barganski, 57, of Santa Rosa was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison for stealing from customers of his now closed classic car repair and restoration business RadRods of Norcal, Inc. Barganski pled to six felony charges and admitted an out-on-bail enhancement. He also admitted an aggravating factor that his victims were particularly vulnerable, as many of them were elderly, some of whom are now deceased. Read full story
David Morales Sentenced to 37 Years, 4 Months for Voluntary Manslaughter and Attempted Murder
Just after midnight on March 25, 2023, defendant David Morales fired 10 bullets at a group of young men at a large party hosted off Hall Road in Santa Rosa, killing 20-year-old Raul Ramirez-Reyes and seriously wounding 20-year-old Brian Garcia. Morales was arrested later that same day and charged with murder and attempted murder, as well as firearm enhancements. On July 22, 2024, Morales pled no contest to voluntary manslaughter with a firearm enhancement for the killing of Raul Ramirez-Reyes, and attempted murder with firearm and great bodily injury enhancements for Brian Garcia. On September 3, 2024, the Honorable Judge Robert LaForge sentenced Morales to a term of 37 years and 4 months in state prison. Read full story
David Averill Sentenced to Life In Prison For Kidnapping Victim At Gunpoint For Extortion
On the morning of May 16, 2023, defendants David Averill and Thomas Griego accosted a 61-year-old woman and her 74-year-old husband at their home located within the city limits of Sonoma. Mr. Averill and Mr. Griego went to the residence to force the victims to give them the combination to their safe so they could steal their money. Both defendants were charged with kidnap to commit extortion, residential burglary, conspiracy, and assault with a firearm, as well as firearm enhancements for several of the charges. In April 2024, a jury trial was held and both defendants were found guilty of all charges. On August 27, 2024, the Honorable Judge Robert LaForge sentenced David Averill to the maximum potential term of 34 years-to-life in prison. Read full story