City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications
SRPD News Release: Arrest made in gang graffiti case
Arrest made in gang graffiti case
On January 30, 2026, an officer responded to a report of gang-related graffiti in the 200 block of 7th Street. During the investigation, the officer located additional tagging on several businesses along Donahue Street. The vandalism also extended to multiple electrical boxes, a stop sign, and a tree.While canvassing the area, the officer reviewed Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data and identified a vehicle of interest, a grey Honda Civic, seen leaving the vicinity around the time the graffiti occurred. The officer obtained the associated license plate information.
On February 7, 2026, another officer conducted a traffic enforcement stop on the same vehicle for a traffic violation. During a probable cause search of the vehicle, the officer located several used blue spray‑paint cans consistent with the paint color used in the previously documented graffiti. The officer recognized the vehicle as being associated with the significant gang tagging from the prior week.
The driver was interviewed and admitted to spray‑painting the businesses and additional property in the area. Following the arrest, a search of the driver’s person revealed a usable amount of suspected cocaine.
Erick Francisco Lara Garcia, a 19-year-old Santa Rosa resident, was booked into Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for the following charges:
594(b)(1)PC: Felony Vandalism
186.22(b)(1)PC: Promoting or assisting a felony criminal street gang
11350(a)HS: Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine)
Chief John Cregan has continued to ensure a department priority focused on reducing gang violence in our community. Our dedicated Gang Crimes Team prioritizes gang enforcement, prevention, intervention, and education. The impacts of this team are making a measurable difference in our community.
Chief Cregan said, “We must remain focused on the root causes of gang violence and seek early intervention efforts to deter our youth from participating in gang activity. We are prioritizing our close collaboration with the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership in this ongoing effort. This is a community-wide issue, and it’s going to take a community-wide response to holistically address the issue. Let’s all get involved together. You can find information on the Violence Prevention Partnership here:
https://www.srcity.org/2198/Santa-Rosa-Partnership
Please also take a moment to download the MySantaRosa app which makes it easy to report and track non-emergency issues in the City of Santa Rosa online, such as graffiti. Reporting gang graffiti helps us track down offenders, and as in this case, identify and arrest them. Information is available at the following link:
https://www.srcity.org/515/Report-a-Problem-Online
The Santa Rosa Police Department is dedicated to making Santa Rosa a safe place to live, work and play.
Santa Rosa case number: 26-1016
Media Contact:
Sgt. Tanya Potter
tpotter@srcity.org
