Criminal Justice
Bill Gene Hobbs. | Courtesy photo
Bill Gene Hobbs, a 34-year-old man who’s allegedly terrorized women and girls around San Francisco for years, was apprehended by police Friday after an arrest warrant was issued earlier in the day.
Police said they acted on information received at about 2:30 p.m. saying Hobbs was on the 3200 block of Van Ness Avenue and detained him in the area.
"Thank you to @SFPD for their determination and hard work on this case. I also want to thank the public and the brave women who spoke out and filed police reports," District Attorney Brooke Jenkins tweeted around 5 p.m. Friday. "Our @SFDAOffice will take the baton from here to ensure the Mr. Hobbs is held accountable for his multiple offenses."
The arrest warrant issued was for a total of 16 counts including one count of felony false imprisonment, two counts of misdemeanor assault, six counts of misdemeanor battery, three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery and four counts of misdemeanor public nuisance.
The felony false imprisonment charge is punishable by probation up to three years in county jail.
Multiple women have told The Standard about issues with the man they believe to be Hobbs approaching them in the street, inappropriately touching them and asking them weird questions.
Joe Burn can be reached at [email protected]
