Robert Sonza, a long-time resident of San Francisco, has quite a criminal record. He’s a regular visitor to the region’s jailhouse for burglarizing and/or stealing cars. Over five years, authorities arrested him more than 12 times.

However, judges tended to let him out of jail early. Sonza repeatedly reoffended, and authorities put him behind bars within weeks of his release. 

Police have also arrested and charged Sonza with multiple felonies unrelated to stealing or burglarizing cars. Prosecutors tried Sonza in front of San Francisco Superior Court Judge Bruce E. Chan. However, he stayed the sentence and released Sonza after four months.

The city’s DA wants him in prison, like, today

Brooke Jenkins, the city’s District Attorney, has followed Sonza’s case closely. She noted that many given second, third, or fourth chances don’t reoffend after having learned their lesson. Sonza, she says, has not.

After his release, police arrested Sonza twice: once in San Jose after he stole a car from a Macy’s parking lot, and again in San Francisco for grand theft auto. Jenkins called on Judge Chan to revoke probation and put him in prison.

“We were prepared to go to trial. We wanted to see accountability for a man who has continued to victimize people in San Francisco and wreak havoc on our streets,” she told ABC7. “It did not surprise me [that he reoffended]. That has been Mr. Sonza’s pattern of behavior for some time now.”

The Judge called it a ‘difference of opinion’

Jenkins’ cries were heard, and Judge Chan rescinded Sonza’s probation and ordered his sentence of three years and eight months to start immediately. He noted he didn’t immediately put him in prison due to a disagreement between him and Jenkins. 

“What occurred was a difference of opinion in how to protect the public and property and how to ensure that Mr. Sonza would not reoffend,” his statement to the outlet read. 

Of course, Jenkins couldn’t be happier to get Sonza off the streets. 

“We’re pleased that the judge held him to the agreement that they had and now will have him suffer a true consequence,” she said. “It is quite unfortunate, however, that we’ve got other victims now who have had to suffer at the hands of Mr. Sonza in the interim time.”