Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 03/24/04

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Bridget Hannigan

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

THREE STRIKER SENTENCED TO LIFE

Today, Superior Court Judge Lawrence G. Antolini sentenced Billy Ray Sanee Maldonado to state prison for a term of 25 years to life. On February 6, 2004, Maldonado was convicted by a jury for committing a residential burglary in Santa Rosa on November 17, 2003. The victim of the burglary noticed Maldonado at her bedroom window late at night. She called 9-1-1 and Santa Rosa police officers found Maldonado looking into the window when they arrived. After fleeing from the officers, he was apprehended and the officers found three pairs of the victim’s underwear in his possession. The undergarments were removed from the victim’s residence.

The defendant was sentenced under the Three Strikes Law. In 1978 he was convicted of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder and was sentenced to prison for four years. In 1989 he was convicted of three counts of Child Molestation and was sentenced to prison for three years for those offenses. In 1997 he was convicted of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender and was sentenced to prison for 32 months. He was returned to prison periodically for violations of his parole.

In addition to the life sentence, the judge sentenced Maldonado to serve seven years in prison. The additional time was for prior felony conviction enhancements that were alleged and found to be true by the court in a separate proceeding.

Deputy District Attorney Bridget Hannigan and Investigator Bob Simerson represented the Office of the District Attorney and Deputy Public Defender Amy Chapman represented the defendant during the three day trial.