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Press Release Index


September 14, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

MAN SENTENCED TO SERVE 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR BRUTAL 2020 KNIFE ATTACK

Defendant Justin Takacs, 39 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced earlier today by the Honorable Christopher Honigsberg to serve 20 years in state prison after being found guilty by a jury in June of this year to charges of mayhem after causing the violent disfigurement of his housemate back in 2020. Read full story


September 08, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

REPEAT OFFENDER GETS PRISON FOR DEATH THREATS AND BATTERY BY GASSING

Defendant Kevin Ruskauff, 50, was sentenced on August 31, 2022 by the Honorable Troye Shaffer to serve twelve years, eight months in state prison after he was convicted of five felony charges, including Criminal Threats, Resisting an Executive Officer by Threat or Violence, and three charges of Battery by Gassing. Read full story


August 16, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Operator of Santa Rosa Drug House Sentenced to Serve 16 Years in State Prison on Charges of Involuntary Manslaughter

Defendant Toby Rosa, 50 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced earlier today by the Honorable Robert LaForge to serve 16 years in state prison after being found guilty by a Sonoma County jury in April of last year of two counts of involuntary manslaughter, in addition to charges of administering methamphetamine causing great bodily injury, keeping a house for drug use, and possession of methamphetamine. Read full story


August 12, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Rohnert Park Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Molesting Minors

Defendant Dana McGowan, 70 years old of Rohnert Park, was sentenced yesterday by the Honorable Christopher Honigsberg to serve 45 years-to-life in state prison following his pleas of “no contest” in June of this year to multiple charges of child molestation. Read full story


August 12, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Man Convicted of Attempted Murder of Elderly Rohnert Park Man While Wearing Trump Mask and Santa Disguise Sentenced to Life in Prison

Defendant Gerald Jacinth, 76 years-old of Las Vegas, was sentenced earlier today by the Honorable Christopher Honigsberg to serve the maximum term of 30 years-to-life in state prison after being found guilty by a jury in July of this year of charges of premeditated attempted murder and shooting at an inhabited dwelling. The jury also found “true” allegations that Jacinth discharged a firearm and inflicted great bodily injury. Read full story


August 05, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Rinehart Oil Settles Environmental Complaint Arising Out of Tanker Truck Spill

Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced today that her Environmental and Consumer Law Division (ECLD) has reached a settlement with Rinehart Oil, and driver Charles Pacheco, for environmental harm caused when one of the tankers overturned on Highway 121 in November of 2019 causing petroleum to spill into a nearby waterway.  Read full story


July 29, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Hugh Reimers and Krasilsa Pacific Farms, LLC Settle Environmental Complaint for $925,000

Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced today that her office has reached a settlement agreement with Hugh Reimers and Krasilsa Pacific Farms, LLC to settle a legal action arising out of unpermitted work on property located in Cloverdale which caused significant environmental damage. Read full story


July 22, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Sentencing in Murder of Santa Rosa Man

Defendant Carlos Martinez-Carceres, 23, was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher Honigsberg to serve 15 years to life for the murder of Howard Quick, Jr., after Martinez-Carceres entered a no contest plea to second degree murder. Read full story


July 20, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 years to Life for Multiple Sexual Assaults Against Underaged Victims

On July 13, 2022, Defendant Emmanuel Cortes-Torres, 25 of Santa Rosa, CA, was sentenced by the Honorable Troye Shaffer to an indeterminate sentence of 25 years to life following his plea to several counts of sexual assault of a minor. Read full story


July 14, 2022 | Office of the District Attorney

Parole Denied in the 2012 Alcohol and Drug-Fueled Killing of Jesse Garcia

Heather Anne Howell, 38 years old of Santa Rosa, was denied parole earlier today following a scheduled hearing in front of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations Board of Parole Hearings. This was the initial parole hearing for Howell, who is serving a sentence of 15-years-to-life for the killing Jesse Garcia, also of Santa Rosa. Read full story