VENTURA, California - District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today the filing of criminal charges against four employees of Gold Coast Transit for unlawfully taking cash from bus fare boxes.

Antonio Maldonado Chavez (DOB 3/29/1963), of Ventura, is charged with six felony counts of misappropriation of public funds to himself totaling in excess of $6,000. Jorge Garibay Alvarado (DOB 1/4/1977), of Oxnard, is charged with three felony counts of misappropriation of public funds to himself totaling in excess of $2,800. As bus maintenance workers, their job duties included transferring cash from the buses to the cash depository.

Misdemeanor petty theft charges were filed against two bus mechanics, Jonathan Trujillo (DOB 10/20/1969), of Oxnard (five counts) and Anthony David Cribbs (DOB 10/24/1970), of Camarillo (one count).

Gold Coast Transit discovered the conduct in March 2014 and promptly notified the District Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by the District Attorney’s Office with the assistance of Gold Coast Transit. The employment of all four individuals has been terminated.

Chavez and Alvarado are scheduled to be arraigned on December 30, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 11. Trujillo and Cribbs are scheduled to be arraigned on December 30, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 11.