SANTA ROSA – The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) issued a Community Bulletin regarding the arrest of a prolific burglar with several warrants.
On Wednesday of this week at about 9:15 in the evening, SCSO Property Crimes Investigation Detectives went to a Best Western Hotel in Santa Rosa in search of burglary suspect Branden Rhoades, a 36-year-old man from Rohnert Park. Rhoades had several outstanding arrest warrants from both Sonoma and Napa counties. Detectives had been following leads regarding his whereabouts for weeks.
Rhoades is a known associate of Jasmine Roper, who had recently been arrested on a number of charges. She was profiled in a local newspaper for her exemplary performance during rehabilitation, and subsequent lapse back into a criminal lifestyle.
Rhoades and Katz were staying at the Best Western Hotel and left her 4 kids with a sitter while they went out.
When Detectives arrived at the hotel room they found a babysitter tending to four children, who were all healthy and unharmed. The sitter was not aware of any criminal activity involving Rhoades, and was watching the kids for the children’s mother, Jamie Katz.
Shortly after 11 pm, Rhoades and Katz returned to the hotel room. Rhoades resisted the Detectives’ efforts to arrest him. He was carrying bear spray – a substance similar to pepper spray and used to deter attacks by bears. Despite the threat of the spray, however, no one was injured while taking Rhoades into custody.
Rhoades was packing bear spray when arrested, like this example from Leerburg.com
He was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail for violation of probation, miscellaneous outstanding warrants and an additional charge of being a convicted felon in possession of tear gas. His local warrants stemmed from probation violations in SCSO cases involving burglary, conspiracy and possession of stolen property.
Other warrants included one from the Santa Rosa PD involving possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and a being a felon in possession of ammunition, and one from Napa County for residential burglary involving a stolen vehicle and firearm.
Rhoades bail totals $285,000 and he is scheduled to appear before a Superior Court Judge at 1:30 pm today, September 11. The four children remain in the care and custody of their mother.
Read more about Jasmine Roper: The Press Democrat
