Santa Rosa Junior College instructor convicted of having gun on campus

A Santa Rosa Junior College instructor was convicted Tuesday of having a gun on campus and is expected to be sentenced next month.

Michael Kenneth Beyries, 74, pleaded no contest to possessing a gun on a college campus, according to a plea deal with prosecutors that was filed in Sonoma County Superior Court.

In California, it is illegal to have or use a firearm on any school or college campus.

Beyries was arrested Nov. 20 after Santa Rosa police searched him and found a weapon.

Prosecutors charged him with two counts of having a gun on campus and one count each of having a gun without being the registered owner, having a concealed loaded weapon in a vehicle and carrying a loaded gun in a public place.

He pleaded not guilty on Dec. 21 and was scheduled to attend a preliminary hearing Tuesday to determine whether there was enough evidence for a trial.

Beyries, instead, entered a plea agreement and is now scheduled to be sentenced April 18. He could be sentenced to two years of probation plus 180 days in custody, according to the agreement.

On Wednesday, a Santa Rosa Junior College spokesperson verified Beyries resigned in December and no longer worked for the school.

Beyries was an associate faculty member in the school’s communications department.

He was arrested after at least two students reported seeing him with a semiautomatic pistol in the school’s Garcia Hall, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.

Campus officials placed Beyries on paid administrative leave and he wasn’t allowed on campus.

Junior college officials said there was no credible threat to staff or students.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi