Modesto man faces 180 years for shooting and injuring officer in 2021
A Modesto man convicted of shooting and injuring a police officer during a 2021 standoff was sentenced to 180 years to life in prison, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office.
A jury found Jesse Brooks, 45, guilty on Feb. 5 of three counts of premeditated attempted murder of a police officer, three counts of assault with a firearm on a police officer and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, along with several sentencing enhancements, including that Brooks discharged a firearm causing serious injury to a police officer, according to a press release posted on the DA's office Facebook page.
The charges stem from an Aug. 14, 2021, incident on Orangeburg Avenue in Modesto, where police officers were executing a search warrant at a residence. Brooks was allegedly inside the home and threatened to shoot it out with officers rather than return to prison. When police entered, Brooks barricaded himself in a room, armed himself and fired 12 rounds at officers.
During the gunfire exchange, Officer Michael Rokaitis was shot in the abdomen and in the upper part of his bulletproof vest. Officers returned fire, striking Brooks multiple times. Both Rokaitis and Brooks were hospitalized following the shooting.
At Brooks' sentencing hearing on April 25, Rokaitis delivered a victim impact statement, recounting the life-threatening injuries he suffered and the toll the shooting took on his family. Since the shooting, Rokaitis has undergone seven surgeries, including one to have part of his right leg amputated.
Speaking directly to Brooks, Rokaitis said he forgave him.
Rokaitis received the law enforcement Medal of Honor for his actions during the incident.
'The sentencing of Brooks for nearly killing Rokaitis is a powerful affirmation that we will not tolerate violence against our front-line protectors and our justice system stands firmly behind those who risk their lives to keep our community safe,' District Attorney Jeff Laugero stated in the press release.
'While no sentence can completely heal the deep physical and emotional scars inflicted by such a violent encounter, this conviction and prison sentence serves as an important reminder that our community values and defends its law enforcement officers.'
The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation and the Modesto Police Department conducted the investigation.
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