Santa Rosa Man Receives Life Sentence in Child Sex Assault Case

Defendant Daves Mendez Rodriguez, 38 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Dana Simonds to forty years to life in state prison after having previously pled no contest to three sex offenses he committed against two separate child victims.

District Attorney Ravitch stated, “The victims in this case showed incredible courage in disclosing the abuse they suffered.  Knowing the defendant will be incarcerated for many years to come will provide these children, as well as the community, with some sense of security.”

This case stems from an investigation in early 2018 that was prompted when an eleven year old child made it her New Year’s resolution to tell someone about what Rodriguez, her mother’s boyfriend, had been doing to her. After the disclosure her older sister reported similar abuse.

Rodriguez pled no-contest in May of this year to charges including committing a sexual offense against a child 10 years old or younger, and forcible rape.

Due to changes in California’s sentencing laws following the passage of Proposition 57 in 2016, Rodriguez will first be eligible for parole consideration after serving 32 years in prison.  At that time the Board of Parole Hearings will conduct a hearing to determine whether he poses an unreasonable risk of danger to the community.  If the Board determines Rodriguez is suitable for release following the hearing he will be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code section 290.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Andrew Lukas. Detective Brooke Clark of the Santa Rosa Police Department headed the investigation.