Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 12/15/06

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR CARJACKING

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that 39 year old Mark Anthony Resso was sentenced to state prison for carjacking a vehicle from an 81 year old victim on July 3, 2005.

Superior Court Judge Kenneth J. Gnoss sentenced the defendant to12 years in prison, imposing five years for the carjacking offense and five additional years for inflicting great bodily injury on an elderly victim. The judge also added two consecutive one year terms for an elder abuse charge and for the defendant having served a prior prison commitment.

District Attorney Passalacqua said, “This was a senseless assault. Those who attack vulnerable victims, such as the elderly, will continue to be aggressively prosecuted.”

The 81 year old victim drove to Petaluma and parked her car at a gas station on Lakeville Highway. She remained inside her vehicle, waiting for a bus. Resso approached her car and began a brief conversation. He told her he was going to “use her car,” reached into the vehicle, grabbed the victim by the shoulder and leg, lifted her out of the car, and threw her onto the roadway. The victim sustained a fractured hip and laceration to the back of her head. Resso took the vehicle and was eventually arrested with the car in Healdsburg later that same day.

Deputy District Attorney William Brockley was the prosecutor assigned to the case. He was assisted by District Attorney Investigator Kris Allen and Victim Advocate Miriam Gaon. Petaluma Police Detective Mike Pierre was the lead detective during the investigation.