Former Sebastopol Mayor Sentenced For Sexual Misconduct With Boy, 14

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A former Sebastopol mayor was sentenced to seven years in prison for six felony offenses involving sexual misconduct with a minor, the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office said.

Robert Jacob, 46, was sentenced Thursday by Sonoma County Judge John Behnke and was taken into custody to begin serving his sentence.

According to the DA's Office, the victim was 14 years old when he met Jacob online in early 2020. Over the course of the next year, the boy and Jacob talked and eventually, the conversations turned sexual.

Jacob sent the victim lewd videos, and the victim would go to Jacob’s house in Sebastopol under the guise of performing chores for him. Jacob engaged in sex acts with the victim while the victim was 14 and 15 years old. Jacob also had the victim engage in sex acts with another unknown male at Jacob’s home in Sebastopol, the DA's Office said.

"The victim should be commended for coming forward to report what Mr. Jacob did," Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said. "His bravery in reporting Mr. Jacob’s crimes has made the community a safer place."

In January of 2023, prior to the commencement of a scheduled jury trial, Jacob pled no contest and was found guilty of six offenses, including procuring a child to engage in a lewd act with another adult, sexual penetration of a minor, engaging in a lewd act with a minor, sending lewd material to a minor, and communicating with a minor with the intent to commit a sex crime.

Jacob will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

Jacob was elected to the Sebastopol City Council in 2012 and became mayor the following year. He served one four-year term on the city council. He also founded a Sebastopol medical marijuana dispensary, Peace in Medicine, in 2007.

Officer Salvador Villenueva of the Sebastopol Police Department headed up the investigation and the case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ashley Hendon.