Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 08/05/04

Contact person(s):

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

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

GANG MEMBER ADMITS TO STABBING

Kymberlei Bernard pled no contest today to charges stemming from a gang related stabbing that occurred in January in the parking lot of Food Maxx. Bernard, Dustin Thomas, Stephen Milanovich and Tracie O’Brien confronted the victim, mistakenly believing he was a rival gang member. They yelled gang epithets while punching and kicking the victim. Bernard stabbed the victim once in the abdomen. The victim was hospitalized, underwent surgery and was released after a brief stay.

In addition to pleading to the assault with a deadly weapon offense, Bernard admitted that she personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim and committed the crime for the benefit of and in association with a criminal street gang. She will be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Dean Beaupre on September 10th. Bernard faces a maximum of twelve years in state prison.

Santa Rosa Police Detective Brenda Harrington’s investigation was instrumental in identifying all of the suspects in the case. Thomas, Milanovich and O’Brien previously admitted their involvement by pleading no contest to felony assault charges and admitted the crime was committed for the benefit of and in association with a criminal street gang. Judge Beaupre indicated he may reduce the assault charge to a misdemeanor at the time of sentencing for these three codefendants.

Deputy District Attorney Diana Gomez was the assigned prosecutor on the case.