Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Sheriff’s investigators eradicated the first large scale marijuana cultivation of the 2014 season with the seizure of 50,280 marijuana plants.

During a marijuana reconnaissance flight in the canyons north of Lake Piru, narcotics investigators discovered a large scale marijuana cultivation site. The marijuana cultivation was located in a canyon approximately 10 miles north of Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest. The marijuana plants stretched for over a mile and occupied several smaller side canyons.

On May 23, Investigators from the Sheriff’s Narcotics Bureau West County Street Team, Sheriff’s Custody Bureau, Santa Paula Police Department, and California National Guard Multi-Functional Counter Drug Task Force, were flown to the site by the Sheriff’s Air Unit. 50,280 marijuana plants were eradicated with an estimated street value of over $201,000,000.

Detectives discovered that water had been diverted from several natural springs into hand dug reservoirs. Growers often add fertilizers to these reservoirs, using miles of irrigation hose to water multiple grow sites throughout the canyons. This exploitation of the water course prevents native plants from receiving water and is unsafe for animals or humans to drink. Several hundred pounds of fertilizer were found, along with herbicides, rat poisons, and mountains of trash. Multiple grower campsites were found, one containing a rifle. Investigators believe 6-8 suspects were living in the camps. The suspects fled upon the arrival of investigators.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office believes these large scale marijuana cultivations are connected to Mexican Cartels operating in California. We remind those using our county’s backcountry to be vigilant in watching for clandestine marijuana operations. If you see irrigation hose, fertilizers, rustic campsites, or hikers without equipment in secluded areas, you may be in danger. If you find yourself in an area and see this type of situation, quietly leave the area and notify law enforcement immediately. You can report your observations anonymously.

Nature of Incident: Marijuana Cultivation and Eradication
Report Number: 14-10615
Location: Piru Canyon

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). For full details, view this message on the web.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office recently participated in a nationwide month-long action named “Operation Broken Heart.” The national crackdown targeted offenders who; possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography, engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes, engage in the commercial sexual exploitation of children (commonly referred to as child prostitution), engage in child sex tourism (traveling abroad for the purpose of sexually abusing foreign children) and checking registered sex offenders in the community.

The following people were arrested during this operation:

• Damian Maurice Villarreal Age 30, from the city of Thousand Oaks for Possession of Child Pornography
• Registered Sex Offender Manuel Rene Flores Age 59, from the city of Fillmore for Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
• Registered Sex Offender Mark Swearingen Age 49 from Thousand Oaks for peeping and child annoying
• Registered Sex Offender Vicente Sosa Pedrito (aka Juan Martinez) Age 47 from the city of Moorpark for failing to register as a sex offender.

In addition to the four arrests above, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office served three Possession of Child Pornography search warrants in the cities of Fillmore, Oxnard, and Ventura. Arrests are pending the completion of computer forensic examinations by the Southern California High Tech Task Force.
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Sixty one coordinated local task forces throughout the nation made arrests during the month of May, then collected and shared the arrest statistics with the Washington, D.C. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) who will release the statics at a later press conference this month.

Nature of Incident: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office participation in “Operation Broken Heart”
Report Number: N/A
Location: Ventura County
Date & Time: Month of May
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
Prepared by: Sgt. Anthony Aguirre
Media Release Date: June 2, 2014
Follow-Up Contact: Sgt. Anthony Aguirre 805-384-4721
anthony.aguirre@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Chris Dunn

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

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The Fillmore High Alumni Assn invites all Alumni to come enjoy a delicious meal at the 101st Alumni Dinner. This years meal will be catered by DJ's California Catering. Meal includes: WOOD FIRED PRIME ANGUS TRI TIP served with Au Jus and Creamed Horseradish, CHICKEN BREAST PROVENCAL served with Artichoke Hearts, fresh Tomato, fresh Basil and Black Olives in a light cream sauce. PASTA PUTTACESCA a penne pasta in tomato-Caper sauce. All dinners served with a RUSTICA BABY LETTUCE SALAD and an assortment of freshly baked rolls with Creamery butter. Dessert will be the ever popular homemade Apple and Peach Cobblers with Vanilla Ice Cream. Come into Patterson's Hardware Store (Open 7 days a week) in town and make your dinner reservations there. Price goes up to $45.00 per person for everyone after June 7th. Save $5.00 and get your reservations in before the 7th. Last years dinner was Party of the Year in Fillmore, and the current Board of Directors are planning more surprises for the 101st. You can catch a Glimpse of what's in store in the Merchant window of Nanette Kellers Dress Shop in Fillmore. See you all on June 14th.

Rosario Palmerin, 32 of Piru.

Rosario Palmerin, 32 of Piru, has been ordered to stand trial for allegedly using a vehicle to run down a romantic rival on December 26, 2013. The injured man, a 30-year of Fillmore resident, was taken to Ventura County Medical Center with broken legs.

Palmerin was charged with assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury. He is accused of using his pickup truck to run down his estranged wife’s boyfriend. The victim was thrown approximately 30-feet by the impact, and underwent several surgeries. He is still confined to a wheelchair.

Deputies instigated a search for Palmerin, who turned himself in several days later. He remains in jail on $750,000 bail, and cannot be released because of an INS hold for deportation proceedings.

City of Fillmore

05/13/14
Surveillance
D St./Waterford Ln.
Theft Identity
500 Blk. Saratoga St.
Narcotics Violation
900 Blk. Blaine Ave.
Hit & Run – Non Injury
300 Blk. A St.
Disturbance Party
Reading St./River St.
05/14/14
Narcotics Violation
900 Blk. Wileman St.
Surveillance
200 Blk. Sheffield Ln.
Threats
600 Blk. Fillmore St.
Trespass
600 Blk. River St.
Accident – Non Injury
Cottonwood Ln./Waterford Ln.
Search Warrant
300 Blk. Clay St.
05/15/14 CONTINUED »

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Surveillance images of a suspect who sexually battered a woman in a movie theater restroom last Friday evening reveal another man who was possibly with the suspect at the time. The second man was wearing a light blue polo shirt and white shorts (shown in attached photos). He spoke only Spanish with theater employees, and he is considered a person of interest at this time.

Investigators are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect in this case and the person of interest, who may have information about the crime.

On May 23, 2014, at approximately 11:39 p.m., deputies from the Thousand Oaks Police Department investigated a report of a sexual battery, which occurred at the Muvico Theatre on Hillcrest Drive. The victim reported that while she was in a restroom stall, an unidentified man slid underneath the partition and sexually battered her. After a brief struggle, the victim was able to exit the stall, and the suspect fled from the theater.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 5’5” to 5’7”, 130-150 lbs., slender build, brown hair, brown eyes, medium to dark complexion, wearing a grey hoodie and dark-colored jeans. The suspect’s image was captured by surveillance cameras as he was leaving the area of the restroom. The suspect exited the theatre and got into the passenger seat of a black sedan.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the person of interest can call Detective Eric Taylor at (805) 947-8252 and any press inquiries can be directed to Sergeant Eric Buschow at (805) 947-8129.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Nature of Incident: Woman Sexually Battered at Movie Theater (UPDATE)
Report Number: 14-11853
Location: Muvico Theatre 166 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks
Date & Time: May 23, 2014 @ 11:14 p.m.
Unit Responsible: East County Major Crimes / Sexual Assault Unit
Prepared by: Sergeant Robert Fleming
Media Release Date: May 30, 2014
Follow-Up Contact: Detective Eric Taylor (805) 947-8252
Sergeant Eric Buschow (805) 947-8129
Approved by: Captain Mike Hartmann

I am sure many of you, like me, drive up and down Central Ave, or Sespe Avenue, and have taken notice of the aging Military Banners! The Military Banners are proudly displayed as a way of showing the Santa Clara Valley Community's support for those who are sacrificing daily for us here at home as active members of one of the five Military Services. Considering the Military Banners are up in all kinds of weather 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and 365-days a year, for nearly five years, they have not really done too badly! Many citizens of the Santa Clara Valley Community have commented on the condition of the Military Banners and wondered if they could be cleaned, repaired, or replaced. A small committee consisting of Virginia A. de la Piedra, City Manager David Rowlands, Fillmore Fire Chief Rigo Landeros and Public Works Supervisor David Smallwood have been meeting to find the best way to refurbish, or replace the Military Banners. It appears, however, the only sure way to ensure the Military Banners are made to look new again is to replace them! To replace the Military Banners is very costly, but not an impossible task for this Community!

The City of Fillmore has a commitment from a corporate sponsor for a, yet to be specified amount donation, to freshen up the Military Banners displayed on Central Avenue and Sespe Avenue. The donation will, however, fall short of the nearly $13,000 needed to order and replace the approximate sixty-eight Banners now prominently displayed showing this Community's support for those who are currently serving in the military.

Virginia A. de la Piedra has for many years been the caretaker of this program and maintained the finances to order each Banner for our troops from the Santa Clara Valley. Virginia says that although there are still some monies left in the account there is not enough to match what the corporate sponsor is expected to donate for this replenishment program. Other donations are expected from Military Service Organizations, local Service Clubs, Businesses and private persons.

One of the difficult tasks for Virginia has been to keep track of those persons with Banners, now displayed, who may have left Military service and are no longer currently serving. If a family member of someone now displaying a Military Banner knows of their separation from the military Virginia would like to be notified so that a new Banner is not purchased for that person. Virginia can be reached at 805-524-4091, or by email militarybanners@yahoo.com, or by writing her, United Parents for Education, P.O. Box 220, Fillmore, CA 93016. The Banner now on display would be removed along with all the Banners and would be given to the family, or to the person no longer serving at a special ceremony in front of the Fillmore City Council.

As the time is fast approaching to order these new Military Banners it is again being requested that anyone wishing to donate monies to replenish the existing Military Banners with new Banners to do so by dropping off a check at the City of Fillmore, or with Virginia A. de la Piedra. Your donation is tax deductible and you will be given a 501 © tax identification number in a confirmation letter accepting your donation. It is also further needed the names of those no longer serving in the military so as not to unnecessarily purchase Military Banners that will not be displayed. Please be generous with your donations to show our currently serving military members that Fillmore, Piru, Bardsdale and the entire Santa Clara Valley continues to support them.