Arrest Made In Rape At SRJC Petaluma Campus: Police

PETALUMA, CA — A 19-year-old Petaluma man has been arrested in connection with a rape reported earlier this week at the Petaluma campus of Santa Rosa Junior College, police said Thursday. Detective Sgt. Paul Gilman of the Petaluma Police Department said in a news release that on Tuesday, a female student at the Sonoma Mountain Parkway campus came forward and reported she was the victim of a sexual assault Monday in the campus library.

The student notified SRJC police who in turn notified the Petaluma Police Department, the lead agency for handling serious felony crimes at the campus.

Gilman said the victim is a young, college-age female and there were no witnesses in the library when the assault occurred around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Petaluma police Detective Walt Spiller investigated the reported sexual assault with the assistance of SRJC District Police.

"... Detective Spiller identified Santa Rosa Junior College student Brandon Cortes of Petaluma, as the involved suspect and developed probable cause to arrest him," Gilman said.

At about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, detectives arrested Cortes without incident on Paseo Del Olmo in Petaluma, as he was enroute to Santa Rosa Junior College, the sergeant said.

After interviewing Cortes at the Petaluma Police Department, police transported Cortes to Sonoma County Jail were he was booked on suspicion of felony rape, felony sodomy and felony sexual battery.

Cortes' bail was set at $125,000 pending a court appearance Monday afternoon.

Petaluma police Thursday asked any unidentified witnesses who may have information that could assist in the investigation to contact Detective Spiller at 707-778-4456.

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report.