Santa Rosa woman sentenced for her role in 2022 shooting near Union Hotel

SANTA ROSA — A 26-year-old Santa Rosa woman has been given nine years in state prison for her role in the 2022 shooting of two people she and an accomplice tried to rob near the Union Hotel, the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office announced Monday. 

Valerie Saenz pleaded no contest in May to charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, shooting at an occupied vehicle and destroying evidence. 

According to prosecutors, Saenz lured an old elementary schoolmate into a marijuana deal in October 2022 while conspiring with co-defendant Marcell Battiest to rob the man-- Sergio Mora-Morfin-- of his pot when he showed up. 

Mora-Morfin had been a cannabis smoking buddy of Saenz, according to prosecutors, and she and Battiest saw him as an easy mark, according to social media discussions that came out during the case. 

As Saenz put it, "He's the easiest I feel. He trusts me."

Saenz told Battiest to get a ghost gun and the two met up with Mora-Morfin in a parking lot across from the Union Hotel in Santa Rosa. Mora-Morfin arrived with 30 pounds of pot and a friend.

According to prosecutors, Saenz arrived on foot in the parking lot to meet the victims and then called Battiest, who she indicated would be the "buyer." Battiest arrived in his vehicle shortly thereafter. Moments later, Battiest shot Mora-Morfin's friend twice in the back, and as Mora-Morfin entered the driver's seat of his vehicle to flee, Battiest shot him once in the neck at close range. Both men survived their shootings, but have had to undergo extensive medical care. 

Both Saenz and Battiest were arrested in November 2022.

"Although Ms. Saenz did not pull the trigger during this robbery, she was a very active accomplice to this brazen and violent incident," said District Attorney Carla Rodriguez. "The victims are lucky to have survived. The defendant absolutely deserved to be sentenced to state prison."

Co-defendant Battiest was convicted by a jury in September and is facing a life sentence. His sentencing date is scheduled for Dec. 13.