Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 06/06/07

Contact person(s):

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

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

GUILTY VERDICT IN SEX STING CASE

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that this afternoon a Sonoma County jury found Michael Sherman Harris guilty of attempting to commit a lewd and lascivious act on a child under the age of fourteen. Harris was arrested after a sting operation conducted by the Santa Rosa Police Department. Harris will be sentenced on July 25, 2007, in front of the Hon. Judge Elliot Daum.

“We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to vigorously prosecute those who would prey on children,” District Attorney Passalacqua said.

Harris, a welfare fraud investigator for the County of Mendocino, engaged in a conversation of a sexual nature on an erotic services section of the “Craig’s List” website with a person he believed to be a thirteen year-old runaway girl. Harris agreed to pay the girl to perform a sex act and drove to meet her at the Sears parking lot in downtown Santa Rosa. When he arrived he was confronted by officers with the Santa Rosa Police Department and was arrested.

The jury deliberated Tuesday and Wednesday before reaching their verdict. Harris faces a possible sentence of up to four years in state prison. Deputy District Attorney Brian A. Staebell was the prosecutor assigned to the case. Detective Brad Connors was the lead detective for the Santa Rosa Police Department.