Santa Rosa, CA – April 12, 2021 – I first became aware of sexual assault allegations against the Mayor of Windsor Thursday morning by reading the article in the San Francisco Chronicle. I was deeply concerned at what I learned, and immediately assigned my Chief Investigator and Chief Deputy in charge of sexual assault prosecutions to review the article and recommend next steps. I put out a message asking any victim, named or otherwise, to contact us.
We’ve subsequently communicated with a number of individuals with information. Additionally, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has now opened an investigation, so we are directing anyone with information to contact that agency. Over the weekend I became aware of allegations made by a member of my office that made clear to me that my office would have a conflict of interest proceeding with any further investigation, or potential subsequent prosecution of charges related to the allegations. As such, I contacted the Attorney General’s office to share my concerns. I was advised this morning by that agency that they will immediately assume the responsibilities of reviewing these incidents, and if appropriate, charging and prosecuting any relevant violations of the law.
We encourage anyone that has information related to these events to contact the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, the lead investigative agency, or the California Attorney General’s Office. I also continue to urge anyone who may be a victim of sexual assault to reach out to law enforcement, or the Family Justice Center Sonoma County to access services.
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