Sonora Man To Serve More Than 11 Years For Domestic Violence
Sonora, CA – A Sonora man was sentenced to more than eleven years for a domestic violence attack in December.
Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke released the details of the case against Francisco Hernandez, who was sentenced to 11 years and 4 months in prison. Hernandez entered a guilty plea on January 30, 2025, to charges of causing corporal harm to a cohabitant or girlfriend and discouraging a witness from pursuing a criminal case while he was released on bail. Jenecke noted that he also admitted that he had been serving a prison term for first-degree residential burglary and had previously been placed under post-release community supervision for a strike conviction.
On December 11, 2024, Hernandez was taken into custody after the victim went to work with visible facial injuries. Hernandez showed up there and insisted on speaking with her. Co-workers reported to police that they saw him hitting her in the face after she followed him outside. Meanwhile, the victim’s kids also reported to a teacher that Hernandez had harmed their mother.
Hernandez was arrested but made bail and was released from jail on December 15, 2024. Two days later, Hernandez was served with an emergency protective order to stay away from the victim. Family members became concerned when, shortly after that, the victim missed work and stopped communicating with them.
Officers located the victim the next day in the same car as Hernandez, a direct violation of his order, and he was taken into custody. Jenecke added that her office discovered the defendant was actively speaking with the victim on the same day they attempted to make sure the defendant was not phoning the victim from detention. She disclosed that the defendant called the victim nine times, telling her to inform her daughter that his incarceration was due to her daughter’s remarks at school and to warn her not to “lie.”
At his arraignment on December 20, 2024, the court approved the people’s plea for no bail. Before a January 7, 2025, trial, Hernandez pleaded guilty. Jenecke reports that until he is sent to state prison, he will be held at the Tuolumne County Dambacher Detention Center.
