A 31-year-old Oakland man accused of robbing a family of five at gunpoint and pistol-whipping the father in front of his children is now facing federal firearms charges, after he was mistakenly released from jail and was out of custody. Patrice Davis was already barred from possessing guns because of a lengthy criminal record, yet police say they later found three pistols and a rifle stashed in a San Leandro storage unit and pickup truck.
The case traces back to January 2024, when Oakland police say Davis robbed a family inside a GMC vehicle, according to court records cited by The Mercury News. Police allege Davis pistol-whipped the father during the robbery and told him, “I don't give a f—, I'll kill you and your children.” The victim later told authorities, “I'll never forget his face,” identifying Davis to police as the man responsible.
Investigators say the victim's Find My iPhone app helped track a stolen phone back to Davis' Oakland home, and a GPS ankle monitor tied to his parole placed him at the scene of the robbery, according to police. Oakland police also allege that Davis and another man tossed guns over a fence in an attempt to hide them from arresting officers. Davis was first arrested in the shooting case in January 2024, then was re-arrested that March, and the same outlet's report notes he has been in jail ever since that second arrest.
An Accidental Release and a Vanishing Act
At some point after his March 2024 re-arrest, police records show Davis was accidentally released from custody. He then absconded from court and remained out of custody before police eventually found the weapons in San Leandro. It remains unclear exactly how the release occurred or how long Davis evaded authorities before turning up again in the system.
Davis' criminal history stretches back more than a decade. Court records show he has six prior felony convictions dating from 2013 to 2023. That record includes a March 2017 plea in Alameda County Superior Court, when Davis entered a no-contest plea to first-degree residential burglary in the Oakland Hills and was scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, according to Patch. That 2017 sentence included gang and prior-conviction enhancements.
State Diversion Meets Federal Prosecution
Following his January 2024 arrest, Davis faced state robbery and shooting charges. Despite the violent nature of those allegations, Davis is currently undergoing mental health diversion in the robbery case.
California's mental health diversion law is codified in Penal Code § 1001.36, according to DCD Law. While the statute addresses exclusions like murder and rape and requires consideration of whether a defendant poses an unreasonable risk to public safety, per the ACLU of Northern California. The program sits within a broader push in Alameda County: in October 2024, the California Board of State and Community Corrections awarded the Alameda County District Attorney's Office a record $6 million grant to expand its CARES pre-arrest diversion services, as Hoodline previously reported. Alameda County Superior Court also runs a specialized Behavioral Health Court that oversees severe mental illness diversion cases through court-supervised treatment plans and Medi-Cal linkage, according to the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda.
Facing Up to 15 Years Without Parole
Federal prosecutors have now charged Davis with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. The federal sentencing consequences of a conviction would depend on the outcome of the case.
The case's sentencing consequences have not been resolved.
Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, an Alameda County jail, processes bookings for 15 local law enforcement agencies including Oakland, according to The Oaklandside. Davis is due back in state court on September 23.
