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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, April 10th, 2012
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department On the above date and time, a subject persuaded the victim to give him a ride. Once inside the victim’s vehicle, the subject told the victim he wanted the car. The victim refused and the subject produced a knife and stabbed the victim causing very minor injuries. The subject then pushed the victim out of the vehicle and got into the drivers’ seat. The subject drove a short distance before abandoning the vehicle and was last seen running north through the Carmen Plaza shopping center. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau @ 383-8791 Nature of Incident: Carjacking / 215 PC Report #12-7814 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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By Anonymous — Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
Air Fleet Safety Top Priority
 Cal Fire Sacramento, CA – On March 16, 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bestowed CAL FIRE and DynCorp International with the Diamond Award of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance. The prestigious honor for aircraft maintenance results from a rigorous program requiring 100 percent of a company's maintenance technicians pass specialized, continuous training in aircraft systems, regulations and FAA rules over a 12-month period. “Firefighting aircraft play a pivotal support role in helping our firefighters suppress California’s devastating wildfires,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “We are proud that our aviation management staff and DynCorp International mechanics maintain the largest wildland air fleet in the world with an award winning safety and maintenance program.” CAL FIRE maintains 23 airtankers, 14 airtactical aircraft, 11 helicopters, and numerous other fixed-wing training and administrative aircraft. All the aircraft are maintained at the department’s maintenance base at McClellan Air Park in Sacramento County. Since the beginning of CAL FIRE’s air program in the 1970s, safety and superior maintenance has been a top priority. Along with CAL FIRE’s seasonal aviation experts, DynCorp International mechanics ensure that the state’s firefighting air fleet is kept in pristine condition. “This award highlights the exceptional maintenance performed on all CAL FIRE aircraft by DynCorp International (DI) team members and reflects the strength of commitment by both DI and CAL FIRE working together in a public/private partnership,” said Jeffrey Cavarra, DynCorp International. Over the next few months CAL FIRE will finish the winter maintenance and safety inspections on the firefighting aircraft and beginning staffing them at the department’s 13 airbases and nine helitack bases across the state. For more information on CAL FIRE’s firefighting air program visit www.fire.ca.gov. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department On March 24, 2012, at about 6:00 PM, deputies from the Lockwood Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to a call of automatic gunfire, described as possibly an AK-47, southwest of Curtis Trail, Lockwood Valley. Responding deputies arrived on scene and also heard the rapid succession of 20 to 30 round bursts of gunfire. The Lockwood Valley deputies drove their 4X4 patrol vehicles on an unmaintained road, in the United States Forest – Mt. Pinos Ranger District, until the road become too narrow to drive any further and proceeded towards the gunfire on foot. The deputies hiked a quarter to half a mile on foot before discovering three male subjects, four rifles, five handguns, several high capacity magazines (including a 100 round double drum magazine), and hundreds of rounds of unspent ammunition. During the course of their investigation, deputies discovered three of those rifles were considered assault weapons under California State Law, one of them was believed to be a fully automatic AR-15, and one had a barrel less than nine inches in length. The investigation also revealed one of the handguns was reported stolen in 2004, out of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Van Nuys Division. Ultimately, (S) Eddy Soto was found to have brought all the rifles, handguns, and ammunition to the location and was arrested for weapons related offenses. (S) Conrado Madrigal was arrested for a Los Angeles County misdemeanor warrant and a third party was released without any pending charges. Both Soto and Madrigal were booked at the Ventura County Main Jail, the weapons and ammunition were confiscated and booked as evidence. Nature of Incident: Assault Weapons arrest 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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By Anonymous — Wednesday, March 28th, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced that Gervork Aroutiounyan, 48, was sentenced for an ATM identity theft scam that spanned seven counties. Aroutiounyan and Gnel Snapyan, 35, were charged for "skimming" debit card information of Chase Bank customers and stealing $320,728. The Department of Justice eCrime Unit was able to charge the entirety of the scheme across seven counties, including the counties of Santa Clara, Marin, Fresno, San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles. Aroutiounyan was sentenced today in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court to three years and eight months in state prison, and ordered to pay restitution to Chase Bank of $320,728. The sentencing of Snapyan was delayed until June 15. "These criminals stole not just money, but people's identity," said Attorney General Harris. "While modern technology provides many advantages, it is also increasingly being used by criminals, which is why I created the eCrime unit within the Department of Justice." In September 2011, the Attorney General's office charged the defendants with 28 counts of felony fraud. On March 1, the defendants entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit grand theft, computer access fraud, identity theft, second degree burglary and forgery of access cards. Additionally, each plead guilty to three counts of second degree burglary. Between July 2010 and February 2011, Aroutiounyan and his co-conspirator replaced the card readers at Chase Bank ATM vestibules. The readers they installed allowed them to retrieve the card information of customers using the ATM. Additionally, the crew installed micro cameras to capture the card holders' PIN entry. With both the card information and the PIN information, they created bogus ATM access cards. These cards were used to fraudulently withdraw $320,728. This type of crime is frequently referred to as a "skimmer operation." Chase Bank has reimbursed customers for their losses. The case was investigated by the San Luis Obispo County Police Department. The California Department of Justice eCrime unit was created last year to identify and prosecute identity theft crimes, cyber crimes and other crimes involving the use of technology. |
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By Anonymous — Monday, March 26th, 2012
VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today the Ventura County District Attorney's Office is currently prosecuting James Homer Schoenhofen (DOB 7/19/43) for alleged crimes involving the sexual abuse of a child. A jury trial is set for May 2, 2012, and Mr. Schoenhofen has pled not guilty to all charges. Mr. Schoenhofen is a 68-year-old former resident of Oxnard who may have been a foster parent beginning in the 1960s. The District Attorney's Office is requesting that anyone who has ever lived with Mr. Schoenhofen, has information concerning the identity of persons who may have lived with him in the past, or has information about crimes perpetrated against children by Mr. Schoenhofen to please contact the District Attorney's Office at (805) 477-1623. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Monday, March 26th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department On March 27, 2012, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors will proclaim March 25th through March 31st as Tsunami Awareness Week in Ventura County. Tsunami Awareness Week is a nationwide effort to encourage individuals to be prepared for tsunamis through education and awareness. “Tsunamis are a potential risk to residents and visitors along the Ventura County coast,” said Dale Carnathan, Program Administrator for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services. “Since 1812, there have been at least nine recorded tsunamis that have caused local damage.” The County of Ventura has done a tremendous amount of work in the last year in regards to tsunami preparedness including: • A direct-mailing of a “How to Survive a Tsunami” brochure was distributed to 7,926 resident and business addresses within the local tsunami-hazard area. • The Ready Ventura County program was launched to assist residents in preparing, responding and recovering from a local emergency or disaster in our community. • The Ventura County Operational Area Tsunami Evacuation Plan was updated and was approved by the Ventura County Emergency Planning Council. • The County of Ventura installed 80 tsunami-hazard signs in the un-incorporated areas of the county. The County of Ventura will also be receiving their TsunamiReady certification from the National Weather Service at the Ventura County Emergency Planning Council meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on April 11, 2012. The TsunamiReady Program, developed by the National Weather Service, is designed to help coastal communities reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences. Through this effort, emergency response agencies and residents are better prepared to save lives through better planning, education and awareness. “Many residents and visitors live, work and play near the coast,” said Carnathan. “It is important for everyone to know if they are in a tsunami hazard zone.” The one-year anniversary of the devastation in Japan is also a good reminder for local residents to “drop, cover, and hold on” during an earthquake and to know the warning signs of a potential tsunami. “Strong ground shaking, a loud ocean roar, or the water receding unusually far exposing the sea floor are all nature’s warnings that a tsunami may be coming,” said Carnathan. For more information of how to prepare, please visit the Ready Ventura County website at www.readyventuracounty.org. This website will display current information in the event an emergency, educate residents on the hazards in our area, and provide a resource on how to prepare, respond and recover from a disaster in our community. Nature of Incident: Tsunami Awareness Week to be proclaimed in Ventura County |
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By Anonymous — Monday, March 26th, 2012
VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the Ventura County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit has filed a felony complaint against Oxnard resident Gloria Becerra (DOB 8/24/65) and Los Angeles resident Hector Menendez (DOB 5/23/56) for grand theft and foreclosure consultant fraud. Becerra and Menendez are both charged with 4 counts of grand theft, 11 counts of foreclosure consultant fraud, and one count of attempted grand theft. The arrests followed a seven-month investigation by the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit. The charges arise out of a fraudulent home loan modification and foreclosure rescue program run primarily under the business names of “Sunset Beach Management,” “Financial Wellness for Homeowners L.A.” and “California Sky Premiers.” Becerra and Menendez collected thousands of dollars in upfront fees promising to reduce the victim’s mortgage loan amount, and to “save” her home from foreclosure. The victim received no actual services from the charged defendants and, in addition to losing thousands of dollars, also lost her home in foreclosure. The court set bail at $100,000 for both Becerra and Menendez. An early disposition conference is scheduled for April 16, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12. If convicted of all charges, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 12 years and 8 months. Individuals who believe they have been victimized by Becerra or Menendez, or others working with either defendant, are encouraged to contact the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit at (805) 662-1750 to file a complaint. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, March 21st, 2012
Incident Updates on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Cal Fire Sacramento, CA - In an era of technology-driven communication, CAL FIRE is using the latest tools and social media sites to help keep the public informed during major emergencies. Californians looking for incident information can receive updates through sites like Facebook and Twitter, videos through YouTube, and even text messages sent right to their cell phones. “When CAL FIRE is at the scene of a wildfire, keeping the public and media updated is a top priority for us,” said Janet Upton, CAL FIRE’s Deputy Director of Communications. “Using the latest technologies allows us to keep the public up to date on what’s happening and give us more ways to provide valuable information on how to prepare their homes and families well in advance of a fire.” While the internet has led to an increase in available information, it’s important to ensure the sites distributing information are official. There are numerous social media accounts that use the CAL FIRE name or who present themselves as official sources, but they are often run by individuals not associated with CAL FIRE or a fire department. Below are CAL FIRE’s official social media accounts. Twitter – Official Account - @CAL_FIRE Facebook – Search for CAL FIRE Youtube – www.YouTube.com/CALFIRETV SMS Text Messages – To subscribe text: “follow @CAL_FIRE” to 40404. The alerts are free, but standard text messaging rates do apply. While the number of users on social media sites has increased, the public can still receive information from the CAL FIRE website, www.fire.ca.gov. In February the department launched a mobile webpage version allowing easy access to incident information on smartphones. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Monday, March 19th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department Investigators from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and Deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office joined forces with more than 90 law enforcement agencies on Friday, March 16, 2012 in the largest Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation ever assembled in California. The task force operation resulted in 393 arrests statewide. Three hundred individuals were cited for furnishing alcoholic beverages to minors, 93 were arrested for other crimes such as public drunkenness, DUI, parole violations and outstanding warrants. The operation was conducted statewide for the first time ever. ABC Investigators and deputies conducted a program called a Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation which can lead to the arrest of adults who purchase alcohol for people less than 21 years of age. Under the program, a minor under the direct supervision of a peace officer will stand outside a liquor or convenience store and ask patrons to buy them alcohol. The minor indicates in some way he or she is underage and cannot purchase the alcohol. If the adults agree to purchase alcohol for the minor, deputies then arrest and cite them for furnishing alcohol to the minor. Sixteen individuals were contacted by a minor decoy at various locations in Camarillo and two, Donna Hilts and Jordan Weal, agreed to purchase alcohol for the minor. Both were issued misdemeanor citations for furnishing alcohol to a minor. The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors. According to the American Medical Association, underage drinking can increase chances of risky sexual behavior and teen pregnancy, juvenile delinquency, compromise health, and result in unintentional injury and death. Local operations were funded by the California Alcoholic Beverage Control through the department’s Grant Assistance Program (GAP). ABC is a Department of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. Nature of Incident: Sheriff’s Office Participates in California’s Largest Decoy Shoulder Tap Operation Ever |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today the conviction of Joe Fidel Flores (DOB 04/23/1980), of Santa Paula, for the 2003 murder of Samuel Travis Reeves, age 15. The jury found Flores guilty of first-degree murder and also found true the special circumstance allegation and other special allegations regarding the use of a gun and that the murder was committed to further the activities of the “Bad Boyz” criminal street gang. Samuel Reeves had no association with any type of gang. On October 11, 2003, he and two of his brothers attended a large party just outside the Santa Paula city limits. The defendant also went to the party, with a gun and several fellow gang members. A fight broke out and the defendant decided to jump in, still with his gun. During the fight, the defendant was punched hard enough to cause his nose to bleed, which happened in front of his gang. The defendant then pulled his gun and shot unarmed 15-year-old Sam Reeves at near-contact range, killing him. Sentencing for Flores is scheduled May 18, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. in Division 25. Flores faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department On March 11, 2012 at approximately 2100 hours, Sondra Reynolds called the Sheriff’s Office to report her husband missing. A deputy contacted Mrs. Reynolds and learned that her husband, (V) Neil Reynolds, had gone motorcycle riding with friends on Sunday. At approximately 1400 hours, Neil and his friends parted ways at the intersection of Lockwood Valley Road and Highway 33. Neil’s friends drove east on Lockwood Valley Road and Neil left by himself on Highway 33 southbound toward Ojai. By evening, Neil had not returned home. Sondra called his friends to see if they had any idea what had happened. They told her he had been doing fine and was not in any distress. They were surprised he had not returned. Because Neil is an experienced motorcycle rider and is never late unless he calls her, Sondra became worried that he had crashed while riding alone. The deputy took the missing person report and a broadcast was made in an attempt to locate Neil. In the early morning of 3-12-12, Sgt. Underlin was briefed by the patrol Watch Commander on the missing person. Sgt. Underlin called the Lockwood Valley Station and asked them to drive Highway 33 looking for any sign that Neil may have crashed and gone off the road. Sr. Dep. Scott Ramirez responded for the search. Patrol units from the Ojai station were also dispatched to search Highway 33 from Ojai to Lockwood Valley Road. In addition, Sgt. Underlin called in the crew of Air Squad 9 and they launched to the area to search as well. At 0800 hours, Sr. Dep. Ramirez located Neil on the north side of Pine Mountain at mile marker 45.00. Neil had crashed shortly after leaving his friends at Lockwood Valley Road. He had crashed off the south side of the road and went down a steep embankment approximately 50 feet. Neil’s motorcycle came to rest on top of him and he was partially concealed by a bush. Neil was awake and alert and had been trapped under his motorcycle in freezing temperatures for approximately 17 hours. Air Squad 9 landed a few minutes later near the crash site. The crew of Air Squad 9 and Sr. Dep. Ramirez worked together to free Neil from under his motorcycle and provide medical care. They used the winch on the front of Sr. Dep. Ramirez’s patrol truck to get the motorcycle off Neil. He had sustained moderate injuries and was flown to the Ventura County Medical Center where his care was transferred to the waiting hospital staff. Nature of Incident: Missing Motorcycle Rider 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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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Monday, March 12th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department On 3/12/12, around 0100 hours, Camarillo Patrol Deputies responded to shots heard at Good Night Inn. People reported that someone at the motel was firing random shots into the air. Deputies received information that one of the guests, Cesar Hernandez, was involved. Deputies located Hernandez and found he was in possession of a stolen gun. He was later arrested for Discharging a Firearm, with gross negligence, Possession of a stolen firearm, and Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm. Hernandez was booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility and a $50,000 bail was set. Nature of Incident: Discharging a Firearm (with gross negligence), Possession of Stolen Property, and Unlawful Transfer of a Firearm 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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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Monday, March 12th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department Over the last week, investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department Commercial Burglary Division developed information on a sophisticated commercial burglary crew working in the Los Angeles and Ventura County area. The information was passed onto Ventura County gang investigators. The information included method of operation as well as possible targets. On 3-6-2012, investigators from the Sheriff’s Gang Unit and the Camarillo Police Department’s Special Enforcement Detail set up surveillances on possible targets in the Ventura County Area. This included a lawn mower repair and supply store on Vineyard Ave. During the course of the surveillance, investigators watched a group of six individuals that appeared to be casing the lawn mower and repair business. Over the next several hours, those persons surveilled the business and conducted both vehicle and pedestrian counter surveillance techniques. At about 1:40 AM, investigators saw a suspicious van back into the rear of the business. Investigators coordinated with patrol and K-9 units to set up a perimeter around the business. Patrol units also stopped two subjects in what was later determined to be a lookout vehicle, which was in the area. During a coordinated search of the business, two suspects attempted to flee. Both were caught by K-9’s and suffered minor bite wounds. Two additional suspects were arrested inside the business. Investigators found that in the short time it took patrol units to establish a perimeter, the suspects were able to load the van with over $60,000 in gardening equipment. This included high-end edgers, generators and concrete saws. Investigators also found that the suspects had defeated the business’ alarm and removed the surveillance DVR to hide their identity. All six suspects were booked into the Ventura County Jail for commercial burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. Nature of Incident: Burglary Crew Arrests |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
District Attorney Gregory D. Totten advised today that the public should be aware of a telephone scam where the victim is deceived into dialing the symbol and numbers “*72” before dialing a telephone number. This “*72” scam allows prison inmates, jail inmates and other con artists to place collect calls that are billed to the victim’s phone account. Ventura County victims have reported receiving calls where they are told there is some sort of emergency that requires them to dial *72 followed by a telephone number. The emergency can be anything, but usually involves a medical or financial urgency. When the victim presses *72 and dials the telephone number provided, he or she unknowingly causes all subsequent calls coming to his or her phone to be forwarded to the number provided by the conman, or an associate of the conman. When the victim places the call, an associate answers and tells the victim they have reached a wrong number. Now, the con artists are free to accept all collect calls that go through the victim’s phone. The charges for these collect calls are billed to the victim’s phone account. The victim will not know that all calls to his line are being forwarded to another number until some other factor alerts the victim. Other characteristics of scam calls to the victim may include: The current investigation has not identified any such calls coming from the Ventura County jail system. Assistant Sheriff Gary Pentis said that the Ventura County jail phone system has technology that will not allow this kind of activity to occur. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department has not received any complaints of a similar nature in several years. If you receive a call requesting you to place another call, do not dial the number. Alert your telephone provider and local law enforcement office. If you have already dialed the number, you should contact your phone provider for advice and to report charges that you did not intentionally incur. Pressing the *73 keys on your phone can often undo the call forwarding command and return your phone back to normal. Customers that cannot resolve billing disputes with their phone carrier may call the Public Utilities Commission at (800) 649-7570. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the review by the District Attorney’s Office of the circumstances surrounding the November 13, 2010, shooting of Jaime Daniel Delgado by Simi Valley Police Officer Jason Wilkinson has been completed. The full report, authored by Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold, is available on the Ventura County District Attorney Web site and explains the District Attorney’s conclusions that Officer Wilkinson acted reasonably, and the killing of Jaime Daniel Delgado was a justifiable homicide. |
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By Anonymous — Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
California Arbor Week March 7-14, 2012
Cal Fire Sacramento, CA – Trees are an essential part of California’s climate and are vital to improving the state’s air quality and conserving water. To help educate Californians on the value that trees provide to building successful, healthy cities and neighborhoods, California is celebrating March 7-14, 2012 as California Arbor Week. CAL FIRE is partnering with California ReLeaf to encourage cities, nature groups, schools, and youth organizations to celebrate California Arbor Week by planting trees in their communities. California ReLeaf is an alliance of community-based groups, individuals, businesses, and government agencies working to protect the environment by planting and caring for trees and the state’s urban and community forests. “Trees offer so many more benefits than what we see,” said CAL FIRE Deputy Director Bill Snyder. “Their importance to the environment, climate, economy and the overall well-being of California is critical.” Research shows that trees clear pollution from the air, catch significant amounts of rainwater, add to property values, cut energy use, increase commercial activity, reduce stress, improve neighborhood safety and enhance recreation opportunities. “Trees make California’s cities and towns better. It’s that simple,” said Joe Liszewski, Executive Director for California ReLeaf. “Everyone can do their part to plant and care for trees, ensuring that they are a resource long into the future.” The goals of Arbor Week include educating Californians about trees, encouraging tree planting, teaching elementary school children the environmental, social, and economic benefits of trees, and protecting the state’s valuable natural resources. As part of the department’s mission, CAL FIRE is charged with protecting California’s forests by maintaining the sustainability of the state’s natural resources including both urban and wildland forests. CAL FIRE is encouraging everyone to be a part of California Arbor Week by planting a tree. It’s important that you carefully plan before you plant a tree to ensure that your tree is properly placed to avoid growing into powerlines and buildings. Get more planting tips on the CAL FIRE website at www.fire.ca.gov. For a full listing of events scheduled to celebrate California Arbor Week across the state visit www.arborweek.org/events. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department Nature of Incident: Academy Class 2011-1 Graduation The recruits have completed 23 weeks of instruction provided through the combined efforts of local law enforcement agencies and other criminal justice entities. The intense training and education prepares these officers for the responsibilities of serving the community. ACADEMY ROSTER OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT SANTA BARBARA POLICE DEPARTMENT SIMI VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Media Release Date: March 6, 2012 |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department During the months of February and March, 2012, several residential burglaries were reported to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office / Ojai Valley Station. In most of the cases, the suspect(s) removed jewelry and other valuables, sometimes after casing the area and posing as a door-to-door sales person. On 3/3/12, a suspect entered a residence in the 1400 block of Foothill Rd. and removed jewelry and an electronic music player. The suspect left behind shoeprints and fingerprints. These items were recovered as evidence during the processing of the crime scene. On 3/5/12, deputies assigned to the Ojai Valley Station, assisted by detectives, conducted a probation search of Andrea Barrack, after developing her as a person of interest in the case. During the search, deputies located hundreds of items of jewelry that appeared to be related to the ongoing burglary crime spree. Items related to the Foothill burglary victim were located among the property, and evidence located at the suspect residence were matched to evidence located at the burglary crime scene. Andrea Barrack was arrested for 459 PC (First Degree Residential Burglary), 496 PC (Receiving stolen property), and 11364 HS (Possession of a device used to smoke illicit drugs). She was booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for these charges. This investigation is ongoing. Nature of Incident: Arrest of Burglary Suspect |
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By Anonymous — Monday, March 5th, 2012
VENTURA, CA - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that on March 1, 2012, Judge Brian Back sentenced Daniel Ray Coffman (DOB 03/31/54) to 54 months in jail following his conviction for three counts of felony grand theft. Judge Back imposed the maximum sentence allowed by law. After a two-week trial in January, Coffman, a former resident of Westlake Village, was found guilty of defrauding an Oak Park woman. The case was investigated by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Coffman was on parole when he met Tracy Clark. He falsely told her that he was wealthy and that his ex-wife had frozen his assets. Coffman convinced her to loan him more than $28,000, that she obtained through high interest cash advances, because she believed him when he gave her promissory notes to quickly repay the money. He also defrauded her out of more than $12,000 by fraudulently using her credit card. Two other women testified at trial that Coffman had also defrauded them using a similar scheme. A fourth victim, Claudette Siah, testified that Coffman talked her into turning over her life savings to him in 2001. In 2005, Coffman was convicted of embezzling from Ms. Siah and was sent to state prison for three years, yet he has paid none of the $87,247 he owes her. Judge Brian Back also ordered Coffman to pay $59,113 in victim restitution. |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Monday, March 5th, 2012
Ventura County Sheriff's Department On March 3, 2012, at 1200 PM, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous 911 call stating a suspicious package had been placed in front of the Moorpark Police Station. Deputies from the Moorpark Police responded and located a bottle containing a liquid, and a threatening note. Deputies cordoned off the area and called for technicians from the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and the Ventura County Fire Department HazMat. The technicians determined the bottle was a facsimile explosive device and was not dangerous. The investigation revealed that the subject who placed the call to 911 had also placed the device. Deputies quickly checked the area and located him. Jorque Loza was arrested for 148.1(d) PC / Placing a Facsimile Explosive Device and 69 PC / Threatening an Officer. He was booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on $250,000 bail. Nature of Incident: Placement of a Facsimile Explosive Device 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). |