On the morning of June 2, 2025, a Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) officer was called to investigate a trailer theft that occurred over the weekend.  The utility trailer was stolen from a jobsite, and employees discovered the theft upon returning to work Monday morning.  The victim business was able to locate the stolen trailer and contacted SRPD for assistance in processing it for evidence. 

The trailer was located in the 3500 block of Yale Drive.  As officers were investigating the theft, two subjects exited the adjacent residence and denied any knowledge of the trailer when asked by the officers.  After the two left the area, the investigating officers located items from the stolen trailer stashed in their backyard.  Tarps, and metal sidewalls for the trailer were visible over a short side yard fence. Detectives from the Property Crimes Investigations Team (PCI) responded and took over the investigation.

Detectives canvassed the area, spoke to witnesses, and obtained surveillance footage of the trailer theft developing evidence related to another suspect.  Based on that information, detectives obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and residence associated to 37-year-old Santa Rosa resident Tim Berman. 

On June 3, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., detectives surveilled Berman at his residence and conducted a traffic enforcement stop on his vehicle near Hahman Drive and Montgomery Drive.   At the same approximate time, the other two subjects of interest from the trailer recovery called detectives back, as the investigators had been reaching out through family members.  The two were interviewed by detectives and ultimately determined to be witnesses in the incident. 

At approximately 2:41 p.m., detectives responded to Berman’s residence, located in the 4600 block of Candace Avenue, Santa Rosa, for a search warrant service.  During the search, detectives located significant contraband in the living room, bedroom, and garage and determined the location was being utilized for manufacturing several illegal items.  Berman was a convicted felon, and was in possession of ammunition and at least 17 firearms in various stages of completion.  Evidence of a firearms manufacturing lab was present in the garage, as well as short-barreled rifles, assault weapons, and handguns. 

Detectives also located equipment and materials used to manufacture N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT).  DMT is classified as a Schedule I hallucinogenic substance under California law.  Its possession, manufacturing, and distribution is illegal under California law.

Other contraband items of note that were located include evidence of methamphetamine possessed for the purpose of sales, more unsecured handguns and rifles adjacent to children’s toy boxes, personal identifying information (PII) for other people likely used to commit identity theft, and a stolen motorcycle.

Berman was booked into the Sonoma County Jail for the following violations;
496D(A) PC – Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
10851(A) VC – Theft of a Vehicle
11379.6(A) HS – Manufacture a Controlled Substance
11378 HS – Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale
29800(a)(1) PC – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
30305(a)(1) PC – Prohibited Person Possessing Ammunition
33215 PC – Possession of a Short-Barreled Rifle
30605(A) PC – Possession of an Assault Weapon
11377(a) HS – Possession of a Controlled Substance
29180(F) PC – Manufacturing Firearms by a Prohibited Person
Associated SRPD case #25-6362

A Sonoma County Judge authorized a bail enhancement at the request of detectives in the amount of $500,000.

The investigation is ongoing with several tasks still outstanding for detectives.  Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact SRPD through the online Tip Line: www.srcity.org/CrimeTips.

For media inquiries, please contact Sergeant Ryan Hepp at rhepp@srcity.org, 707-543-4024. 
SRPD Case Number: 25-6362