Full Notification

On 7/1/22, The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety along with officers from the Cotati Police Department served a search warrant and arrested a 16 year old male for the recent reports of sexual batteries that occurred this past week on the Copeland Creek path.
 
Detective learned of these incidents on Monday June 27 after a victim who is an employee of Sonoma State University (SSU) reported her encounter (indecent exposure) to the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety as well as the SSU Police.  Later in the same day, Officers from the Cotati Police Department were handling an unrelated call for service at a home in Cotati when they realized the person they were talking to matched the description of the person described in the press release published by the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety earlier in the day.  The subject was wearing yellow shorts with smiley faces and had similiar glasses as decribed by the victims.  Cotati Police began working together with Rohnert Park Detectives in the investigation. 

During the course of the investigation, two additional victims came forward and said they were assaulted in the same manner in the previous weeks. The suspect described in those assaults matched the suspect description from the recent Rohnert Park incidents.
 
Detectives were able to obtain a search warrant for the suspects home.  When detectives searched the home, they located evidence that tied the suspect to the criminal activity. 
 
The 16-year-old was taken into custody without incident.  He was booked for sexual battery and indecent exposure.
 
The specifics of the evidence and the identification of the juvenile will not be released. 

The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety encourges anyone who has encountered something similar and has not reported it, to call the Department any time day or night.  (707) 584-2600.
 
This investigation is a great example of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety, SSU Police and the Cotati Police Department all working swiftly together to keep our communities safe.