Berkeley Woman Sentenced to 90 Days in Jail for Felony Conspiracy, Misdemeanors
SONOMA COUNTY, CA — “Defendant Zoe Rosenberg, 23-years-old of Berkeley, was sentenced today by the Honorable Kenneth Gnoss after a Sonoma County jury convicted her in November of felony conspiracy and three misdemeanors arising from a coordinated June 13, 2023 incursion at Petaluma Poultry. The jury found that she conspired with other Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) members to unlawfully enter the USDA regulated facility, remove live chickens, steal business records, and interfere with commercial operations. She was sentenced to 90 days of county jail, 60 of which can be served on jail alternatives such as electronic home confinement, as a condition of felony probation.
District Attorney Rodriguez stated: ‘Defendant and her organization, Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) showed a remarkable lack of credibility during these proceedings. As the jury’s quick verdict demonstrated, their claims without exception were built on selective omissions, misunderstandings, and a willingness to ignore clear facts that cut against their narrative. Simply stated, breaking into a heavily regulated, biosecure food processing facility that supplies food to consumers in this county and across the country is dangerous and illegal. Strong beliefs do not excuse fabricated conclusions, and they do not place anyone above the law.
Defendant and her organization have crossed this line before, and another jury has already rejected the same tactics and the same unfounded claims. My office sought a 6-month jail sentence without jail alternatives. The Court did not agree and sentenced her to 90 days in jail, 60 of which can be served with jail alternatives. As the court noted, Ms. Rosenberg has never apologized for her behavior and shows no remorse for her actions. We do not believe that this sanction will deter the defendant or others in her organization from continuing the behavior that they have engaged in over the past 7 years in this county. Nevertheless, sentencing is the Court’s prerogative. We do wish, however, to put others on notice that my office is committed to enforcing the law, and to preventing the obstruction of legitimate business operations. These incursions are clearly illegal and must stop.’
Evidence at trial established that Rosenberg and individuals associated with her coordinated a series of unlawful entries into Petaluma Poultry over the course of two months in 2023. These entries were not spontaneous. They involved disguises, nighttime breaches through a cut fence, covert movement through secured areas, photographing and stealing internal business records, and placing tracking devices on all twelve Petaluma Poultry transport trailers. In April and May, her associates repeatedly entered the closed facility at night to plant hidden cameras, recover footage and gather documents. On June 13, 2023, during a planned operation timed with a major event hosted by her organization, Rosenberg and her team entered the USDA regulated processing facility while it was operating and removed four live birds from a newly arrived trailer. A second team stayed inside long enough to trigger the facility’s alarms and open the front gate, enabling a larger group to rush onto the property. At the same time, a third team stopped a Petaluma Poultry truck in a separate county and removed additional birds before publicizing the coordinated effort online.
Her conduct and that of her co-conspirators forced a shutdown of the processing line, caused more than $100,000 in losses and created significant biosecurity and sanitation risks inside a facility that processes food for consumers throughout Sonoma County and across the country. The operation closely mirrored tactics Rosenberg and her organization used during prior incursions at Sunrise Farms and Reichardt Duck Farm in 2018 and 2019, which also resulted in criminal convictions.
Rosenberg publicly framed the June 13 incident as a rescue, but the evidence showed her allegations rested on speculation and disregard of clear facts. She claimed the birds she removed were covered in feces, bruises, scratches, large wounds and parasites. Yet at trial the defense produced only two photographs of two of the four birds, and none showed any of the conditions Rosenberg described. No evidence of feces, large wounds, bruising, scratches or parasites was presented, even though her DxE associates had secured an Airbnb stocked with supplies and sat ready to document the birds after the incident. The jury received no medical records, no expert vetinary testimony, and no documentation verifying any of Rosenberg’s public claims about the animals’ condition despite the fact that she and her co-conspirators were the only people with the evidence to support her allegations.
Her remaining allegations were equally unsupported. She and her associates insisted that the red coloration of the offal pile at the facility proved birds were being boiled alive, yet testimony established the substance was federally required denaturant used to mark inedible product. That bottle of denaturant was placed within feet of the offal pile. She admitted she never observed a single bird boiled alive, despite having placed hidden cameras inside the facility that could have recorded such conduct. Despite having ample personnel and resources present, she removed only four random birds, filmed herself doing so, and promptly used the footage to promote her organization’s broader agenda before embarking on a nationwide speaking tour.
The timing of the operation further underscored questions about Rosenberg’s motivation. Trial testimony showed the date of June 13 had been publicly marked as a ‘TBD action’ for months as part of her organization’s annual Animal Liberation Conference. The incursion also coincided with Rosenberg’s twenty first birthday. The planning, filming, and rapid online publication reflected an intent to maximize exposure rather than respond to any verified emergency.
Rosenberg’s online statements also generated real-world consequences for employees and businesses. Her allegations prompted individuals aligned with her to repeatedly appear at the homes of Petaluma Poultry employees, resulting in two restraining orders issued to protect the families targeted. The same messaging fueled a sustained protest campaign against Trader Joe’s stores across the country, ultimately prompting the company to seek legal relief. These impacts underscored the reach of the misinformation she promoted and the harm it caused beyond the facility itself.
Rosenberg faced a maximum sentence of four and a half years in local custody. The Court imposed a two-year term of formal probation with 90 days county jail, approximately $102 thousand in restitution. A restitution hearing will be scheduled later to determine the precise amount owed to Petaluma Poultry. The company documented more than $100,000 in losses resulting from the incident. Rosenberg has indicated she intends to contest that amount, and the Court will resolve the issue after receiving additional evidence.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Matthew Hobson and Deputy District Attorney Jessalee Mills, assisted by District Attorney Investigator Dave Kahl. David Arvizo, previously with Petaluma Police Department, headed the investigation.”
