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Car Jacking suspect transferred to State Prison
By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Friday, January 14th, 2011
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department On 2-21-2010, at about 04:45 AM, Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of a carjacking in the unincorporated area of Nyeland Acres. During the initial investigation, deputies learned that at about 4:00 AM, a male suspect approached a parked vehicle in the 2900 Blk of Friedrich. The car was occupied by a male and female subject. The male suspect opened the driver’s door and began beating the male driver. The suspect ordered the female to get out of the car threatening to kill her if she did not comply. When the female got out of the car, the suspect brandished a knife and ordered the male victim to drive him away. The suspect had the male victim drive him around the unincorporated area of Oxnard for about 45 minutes. During the kidnapping, the suspect made several phone calls. While driving in the area of Alvarado and Ventura Blvd, El Rio, the male victim jumped out of the moving vehicle and escaped. Neither victim was hurt. The car was later found abandoned at Vineyard Ave and Ventura Blvd, Oxnard. The Sheriff’s Gang Unit investigated case and was able to identify the male suspect as Jose Casillas. On 2-25-2010, gang investigators located Casillas as he reported to his probation officer at the Oxnard probation office. Casillas was in possession of some of the victims stolen property and arrested. He was booked into the Ventura County Jail on numerous charges including Carjacking, robbery, and kidnapping for the purpose of robbery Through out the investigation, gang investigators served several search warrants and recovered all of the victim’s stolen property. This included a stereo that had been stripped from the victim’s vehicle, the victim’s cellular phone and money. Casillas remained in custody on $265,000 dollar bail while he went through several court proceedings. On 12-10-2010, Casillas pled guilty to carjacking, kidnapping for the purpose of robbery, second-degree robbery, and admitted to a special allegation of use of a deadly weapon during the commission of the crime. On 1-6-2010 he was sentenced to 14 years, 8 months. On 1-12-2010, Casillas was transferred from the custody of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and sent to the California Department of Correction where he will serve his remaining sentence. Location: 2900 Blk Friedrich, Oxnard |
