Fresno police unit lowers number of domestic violence cases

Ricardo Rosas, 26, of Fresno was arrested Saturday on suspicion of kidnapping his girlfriend, Sgt. Chris Serrano said.

Serrano said Rosas was apprehended by the Fresno Police Department’s Adult Compliance Team and faces multiple felony charges, including kidnapping, robbery and domestic violence.

Rosas allegedly tied his girlfriend up, abused her for several days and at one point reportedly pulled a knife on her as he stole money for a drug habit.

Rosas’ arrest was one of four cases in an operation by the Domestic Violence Apprehension Team, a program aiming to locate and apprehend “reoffending suspects,” Serrano said Tuesday.

Serrano, the domestic violence unit supervisor, said there has been a 43 percent increase in domestic violence assaults since January. Repeat offenders are responsible for most of the 7,000 cases reported, he said.

Frank Brewer, 21, was arrested by the Domestic Violence Apprehension Team on June 30 after assaulting his girlfriend on two separate occasions, Serrano said.

Brewer allegedly impeded his girlfriend’s attempts to contact law enforcement. He faces two counts of corporal injury to his girlfriend and is awaiting trial.

On Thursday, 48-year-old Lovell Jefferson was apprehended by the Domestic Violence Apprehension Team after making criminal threats against his girlfriend, Serrano said.

Lovell is accused of threatening to shoot his girlfriend and burn her house down, Serrano said.

Lovell was charged with one count of stalking and another count of criminal threats.

Christopher Wafer, 32, was arrested for similar behavior June 1. Wafer allegedly assaulted his girlfriend and, at the time of his arrest by the Domestic Violence Apprehension Team, threatened officers.

When he was located by members of the team, Wafer punched and attempted to take an officer’s gun, Serrano said. Wafer was booked into the Fresno County Jail on domestic violence charges; he faces additional charges for assaulting officers.

Since the start of the Domestic Violence Apprehension Team on June 13, Serrano said, “We have seen a year-to-date decrease in domestic violence aggravated assaults from 42 percent to 27 percent.”

Serrano added that in the past 28 days, domestic violence assaults have gone down 5 percent.

“The reduction in aggravated domestic violence assaults can be attributed to DVAT’s ability to swiftly arrest out-of-custody suspects before they can reoffend,” he said.

This story was originally published July 12, 2016 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Fresno police unit lowers number of domestic violence cases."