<p>Off-Duty California Highway Patrol Officer sentenced following felony convictions for firearm and vandalism offenses</p>

Jeremy Finnerty, 49 years old of Santa Rosa, appeared today for sentencing before the Honorable Shelly J. Averill in Sonoma County Superior Court following his May 28, 2021, convictions by a jury for felony brandishing a firearm at a motor vehicle, felony vandalism, and misdemeanor resisting a police officer.

The evidence at trial established that, on the evening of August 16, 2019, on Parktrail Drive in southeast Santa Rosa, an intoxicated Finnerty approached a vehicle driven by a neighbor, pointed a firearm at the vehicle, and threatened to kill whoever was inside. Finnerty then approached the neighbor’s home, made further threatening statements, and broke a door window, while the neighbor’s spouse was inside. When Santa Rosa Police Department officers responded, Finnerty resisted their efforts to detain and place him into a patrol vehicle. At the time of these offenses, Finnerty was an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer.

In their impact statements to the Court, the victim neighbors described the fear they experienced that night and how their lives have been forever changed because of Finnerty’s actions. After hearing from the parties, Judge Averill placed Finnerty on two years of formal, supervised probation, conditions of which include that he not use or possess alcohol, not possess firearms or weapons, undergo specific treatment as directed by his probation officer, pay restitution to the victims, and serve 90 days in jail. Because he is a convicted felon, Finnerty is prohibited under federal and state law from possessing firearms the rest of his life. If he violates his probation, Finnerty faces up to three years, eight months in state prison for the felony firearm and vandalism offenses, and one year in county jail for resisting a police officer.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Bertz, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Robyn Fuentes. The Santa Rosa Police Department headed the investigation.