Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety
Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 28, 2023
Issued by: J.P. Pritchard -Community Engagement Liaison
[email protected], 707-584-2691
On May 05, 2022, Officers were interacting with local youth at a local middle school when they were approached by a juvenile inquiring about adult men messaging minors. Officers learned that the juvenile had been contacted and solicited online by a male who identified himself as a 20-year old who was aware of the juvenile’s age.
The investigation was turned over to Rohnert Park detectives who conducted an extensive investigation spanning over five months that resulted in the arrest of the out of state suspect in this case. After a month’s long investigation, Detectives were able to identify the suspect as John Michael Aven, 30, a parolee out of Coldwater, Mississippi. Detectives worked closely with Investigator Destin Johnson of the Tate County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate the arrest of the suspect in this case.
On October 25, 2022, Aven was taken into custody by the Tate County Sheriff’s Office and charged with Felony 97-5-33(7) - Enticement of a child to produce visual depiction of sexual conduct, Felony 97-5-31(1) - Possession of child pornography, and Felony 97-37-5(1) - Felon in possession of a firearm after multiple firearms were discovered in his residence pursuant to a search warrant. Aven was booked into Tate County Jail and held without bond.
In mid April of 2023, Tate County Sheriff’s Office Investigators contacted RPDPS Detectives and advised that Aven had been formally indicted on the following updated charges out of Mississippi: One Felony count 97-5-33(7) - Enticement of a child to produce visual depiction of sexual conduct, Ten Felony counts 97-5-31(1) - Possession of child pornography, and One Felony count Felony 97-37-5(1) - Felon in possession of a firearm.
This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Detective Fermin Ramirez [email protected] or 707-588-3597.
For media inquiries, please contact Detective Sergeant Adam Strongman, at 707-588-3529 or [email protected] and refer to Case #22-1737.
