Santa Rosa Police Department Arrests Registered Sex Offender for Lewd Act Upon a Child

On August 26, 2026, Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) detectives arrested Darren Petricka, 58, of Santa Rosa, for a felony violation of California Penal Code section 288(a), Lewd or Lascivious Act Upon a Child Under 14 Years. The arrest was the result of recent investigation by the SRPD Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Team (DVSA).

On August 22, SRPD was advised that a young teen had been inappropriately touched by an unknown adult male the previous day at a shopping center in the 500 block of Montecito Boulevard. The teen was alone in a public area of the shopping center at the time of the incident, and the suspect was not known to them. The age and gender of the juvenile will not be released to protect their privacy. For the same reasons, the specifics of the lewd act will not be disclosed.

DVSA detectives immediately began investigating the report and obtained commercial business security videos from the area. Detectives obtained a photograph of the suspect from the security footage and distributed the photo to SRPD personnel and surrounding law enforcement agencies in an effort to identify him.

On August 26, an off-duty deputy with the Marin County Sheriff’s Department who had seen the suspect’s photograph saw someone matching the suspect’s description in Santa Rosa. Based on this information, officers with the SRPD Downtown Enforcement Team responded and contacted the man, who was identified as Petricka. DVSA detectives were advised of the identification and immediately began investigating to determine if Petricka was responsible for the reported incident. Once detectives determined Petricka was the suspect in this incident, he was arrested the same day and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. A bail enhancement in the amount of $250,000 was reviewed and approved by the Sonoma County Superior Court.

On August 27, DVSA detectives served a search warrant at Petricka’s residence located in the 500 block of Humboldt Street. Evidence seized included various electronic devices that are currently undergoing forensic examinations.

Petricka is a lifetime registered sex offender with prior felony convictions for sexual offenses. Petricka is required to register pursuant to California Penal Code 290. The Santa Rosa Police Department is disclosing that registration status pursuant to California Penal Code 290.45, based upon information available to the Department concerning this individual's current risk of sexual or violent re-offense and having determined that disclosure is necessary to ensure public safety. That determination is based on the reported conduct in this case involving the alleged sexual touching of a child by a stranger in a public setting and the possibility that additional victims or witnesses may not yet have come forward.

The purpose of releasing this information is to allow members of the public to protect themselves and their children from sex offenders. This information is not provided to allow any person to engage in harassment, threats, or any other unlawful act against any individual.

Information regarding persons required to register under California Penal Code 290, including photographs, is maintained by the California Department of Justice and is available to the public at www.meganslaw.ca.gov. Members of the public who wish to view registry information for this or any registrant may do so directly through that state website, which is the authoritative source for that information and is subject to the use restrictions set forth in California Penal Code 290.46.

The investigation remains active. Anyone who was present in the Montecito Boulevard area on August 21, 2026, who observed suspicious activity, or who believes they may have had a similar encounter with Petricka, is encouraged to contact the Santa Rosa Police Department Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit at 707-543-3595.

All persons arrested are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The charges described above are allegations, and the final determination of charges to be filed rests with the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office.

The Santa Rosa Police Department encourages parents and caregivers to use this incident as an opportunity to talk with their children about personal safety, body boundaries, and what to do if an adult or older youth makes them feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or asks them to keep secrets. Regular, age-appropriate conversations can help children recognize concerning behavior and feel empowered to tell a trusted adult if something happens. Parents who believe their child may have had contact with Darren Petricka are encouraged to contact the Santa Rosa Police Department's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit at 707-543-3595.

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 26-9135.

Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens, Public Information Officer, at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org.