Brendan Tatum (left) in 2015 (Rohnert Park Police and Fire Facebook)
A former Rohnert Park police sergeant is pleading guilty to extorting cash and drugs from motorists at traffic stops in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Brendan “Jacy” Tatum pleaded guilty this week to charges of extortion in his role as a peace officer, as well as falsifying police reports and tax evasion. This came after a grand jury indicted him and ex-Rohnert Park Officer Joseph Huffaker for illegal drug and cash seizures targeting motorists that extended beyond the city limits of Rohnert Park. That indictment stemmed from an incident in 2016 where the officers allegedly conspired to extort a total of at least $3,700 in cash and 60 pounds of marijuana with a value of at least $85,000. Huffaker, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.