Judge tosses molestation sentence
A convicted Sonoma child molester may face a new trial following his successful petition before the Sonoma County Superior Court.
Superior Court Judge Rene Chouteau found that criminal defense attorney Chris Andrian inadequately represented former Adele Harrison Middle School wrestling coach Jonathan Johnson during a series of pre-trial plea negotiations in 2002.
Johnson is currently serving a 30-years-to-life sentence after being convicted of 40 counts involving sexual crimes against children between the ages of 13 and 15. Two of the counts were charges of witness intimidation.
Johnson filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the superior court claiming that he received constitutionally defective advice from his attorney, Andrian, during the plea negotiation phase before his trial. After a lengthy evidentiary hearing and legal briefings, the judge granted Johnson’s petition in a written ruling filed Sept. 26.
The court’s ruling allows the District Attorney’s office 30 days to determine whether to retry Johnson, negotiate a plea agreement or reinstate a previous plea offer.
Springs project bid under budget
A much-anticipated plan to bring sidewalks and other improvements to Highway 12 through the Springs may cost “a little over a million dollars” less than expected.
Petaluma-based contractor North Bay Construction tendered the lowest of five bids Oct. 1 at $2,465,045. Kevin Howze, a division engineer with the county public works department, explained that the decision would become final Oct. 7 if no other contractor disputes the bid-award.
County redevelopment director Boris Sztorch said last week that the agency has accumulated enough funds to finance the project’s first phase – which runs from Encinas Lane to Boyes Boulevard.
“This is a long-awaited project we’re excited about and are preparing to issue bonds,” Sztorch said.
A ground-breaking ceremony is planned for 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 20 at the Park & Ride Lot at the corner of Highway 12 and Thomson Avenue.
Auto con nets Sonoma victim
A car-sales scam with apparent ties to Pennsylvania and Las Vegas resulted in a Sonoma woman being swindled out of more than $4,000 after the scammer told her he was shipping out to Iraq.
The 63-year-old victim was doing some online car shopping when she spotted a Craigslist ad for a 2002 Honda CR-V, Sonoma police Sgt. Ruben Martinez said Friday. The owner, who gave his name as “David Bruno,” said he was a soldier who had just been deployed overseas and needed to sell the vehicle quickly.
Apparently satisfied with “Bruno’s” electronic credentials, the woman drafted a MoneyGram for $4,200 and sent it off, Martinez said.
When four days had passed with no Honda, the woman called the transport company, Texas-based Dependable Auto Shippers, Inc., only to be told that her address wasn’t scheduled for a delivery.
The woman contacted Sonoma police on Oct. 2, who traced the VIN number “Bruno” supplied to a car on a dealer’s lot in Westchester, Pa. The lot’s manager had recently received several telephone calls from would-be buyers and said it’s not uncommon for criminals to craft online scams by cutting and pasting vehicle information from other Web sites for their own purposes.
The check was later found cashed in North Las Vegas, Martinez said.
Rawls named
‘2008 Treasure Artist’
Sonoma costume designer Linda Rawls joins such cultural luminaries as Buffalo Norton, M.F.K. Fisher and Linus Maurer, following her selection as Sonoma’s 2008 Treasure Artist of the Year by the city’s Cultural and Fine Arts Commission.
Rawls has contributed greatly to local theatrical productions and events, creating costumes for the Sonoma City Opera, Sonoma Valley schools, Sonoma Community Center, the Sonoma Ballet Conservatory, Vintage House, Hootchie Doo Productions, the 42nd Street Moon in San Francisco and many other schools and theaters in Napa, Solano and Marin counties.
Since 1983, the Sonoma Treasure Artist has been selected and recognized for outstanding achievement in a chosen artistic medium, including the performing, visual, theatrical, literary and craft arts. The commission will host a reception in Ms. Rawls’ honor in early November.
