Ventura County Sheriff's Department

At approximately 11:30AM, on Tuesday, December 15, 2015, deputies with the Fillmore Police Department investigated a report of domestic violence involving suspect Brandon Lloyd and a seventeen-year-old female who had minor injuries. The incident took place in front of the Fillmore Library at Second St. and Central Ave. Lloyd fled before the deputies arrived.

During the investigation, deputies learned Lloyd was at a fruit stand in the 1700 block of E. Telegraph Rd. Lloyd had reportedly taken an overdose of medication in a possible suicide attempt before abandoning his vehicle and walking into a nearby orchard. Numerous law enforcement resources, including patrol, detectives, K9, and the air unit, began a search of the orchards east of the city of Fillmore while Ventura County Fire and American Medical Response personnel stood by in case aid was needed.

Information led deputies to Lloyd in the community of Piru, where he was taken into custody, examined by medical personnel, and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for the misdemeanor violation of 243(e)(1) PC – Domestic battery.

Prepared by: Sergeant Kevin Vaden

Pvt. Castro with step-mother (left) and aunt Sgt. Solorio USMC.
Enlarge Photo

Pvt. Castro, 18, graduated USMC boot camp at Marine Corps recruit depot San Diego on DEC 11th 2015. Pvt. Castro successfully completed 13 weeks of intense basic training at MCRD San Diego he was one of 90 recruits in training platoon 3266 3rd training battalion Mike Company also known as "Mighty Mike." Following 10 days (plus) of leave Pvt. Castro will report to Camp Pendleton for another month of combat training, once complete Pvt. Castro will fly to Camp Lejeune North Carolina for his Military Occupational School 1371 Combat Engineer. Very proud of Michael all this before his 19th birthday and this is literally the beginning. God luck son! Always earned never given!

Anastacio Chavez

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Anastacio Chavez or receiving any information that can assist in locating Anastacio.

On 10-14-15, Anastacio’s family reported him missing because they had not had contact with him in over a month. Anastacio is a transient and is known to frequent Oxnard and Thousand Oaks. As of 12-01-15, the family still has not had contact with him.

Anastacio Barbosa Chavez, AKA: Anastacio Barbosa Chan
Born 2/22/1976
Hispanic male, 5'2", 170 lbs., black hair and brown eyes.
Anastacio is not known to have a vehicle or phone.

Please contact Detective Laura Natoli with any information regarding the case. 805-494-8226 or laura.natoli@ventura.org

You can also provide tips to: Ventura County Crime Stoppers
Hot Line: 1-800-222-TIPS (Se habla Espanol)
Text: BUSTED plus message to CRIMES (274637)
WebTips: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.com

Marco Cordon, Thousand Oaks, 39

On December 10, 2015, just prior to 5:00PM, Marco Cordon walked away from his Thousand Oaks residence and has not returned home to his family. Marco is believed to be “on foot” and is not associated with a vehicle. Marco has made no effort to inform anyone of his whereabouts and left home wearing a light green hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Marco is an avid hiker and is known to frequent local hiking trails in the City of Thousand Oaks.

The Thousand Oaks Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Marco. Marco is a Hispanic male, 5’10”, approximately 150 pounds, with black hair and hazel colored eyes. Anyone having information about Marco or his whereabouts is encouraged to immediately contact Detective Kelly Roark at: (805) 947-8261.

Nature of Incident: Missing Person
Report Number: 152084622
Location: 1300 Block of East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, CA
Date & Time: 12-10-2015 @ 5:00PM
Unit Responsible: East County Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(P) Marco Cordon Thousand Oaks 39
Prepared by: Detective William Hutton #3438
Media Release Date: 12-18-2015
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective William Hutton #3438; (805) 947-8113 ; william.hutton@ventura.org
Approved by: Captain Mike Hartmann

Jorge Izarraraz, Fillmore, 22

On November 2, 2015, at about 9:05 p.m., deputies responded to a stabbing that occurred in the area of Third and B Street in the city of Fillmore. Once on scene, deputies located a stabbing victim who they identified as Edgar Torres. Torres had sustained one stab wound to the chest area, following an argument with an unknown suspect. Torres was transported to the hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.

Due to the seriousness of the crime, Sheriff’s Major Crimes and Sheriff’s Gang Unit investigators, responded to the scene and began a tenacious investigation over the next several days. With the community’s support and cooperation, investigators were able to identify, locate and arrest Jorge Izarraraz for unrelated charges on November 6, 2015.

Earlier today and after a lengthy investigation into the homicide, the Major Crimes Bureau arrested Izarraraz for one count of Penal Code Section 187 / Murder. Izarraraz remains in custody on $725,000 bail.

Nature of Incident: Arrest Made In Fillmore Homicide
Report Number: 15-2062756
Location: 300 Block of B St., Fillmore, CA
Date & Time: 11/02/2015 @ 9:06 p.m.
Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau, Sheriff’s Gang Unit, Fillmore Investigations
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Izarraraz, Jorge Fillmore 22
(V) Torres, Edgar Fillmore 24
Prepared by: Sgt. Denise Sliva
News Release Date: 12/18/15
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sgt. Denise Sliva (805) 947-9258
Approved by: Captain Melissa Smith

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).

Gustavo Diaz, 27 of Oxnard.

On December 10, 2015 at 5:54 a.m., deputies from the Ventura County Sheriffs Department were dispatched to a stabbing victim located at the corner of Ventura Street and A Street in the City of Fillmore. According to the female victim, 25 of Oxnard, the suspect, Gustavo Diaz, 27 of Oxnard, kidnapped her from her place of business in the 3400 block of Galaxy Drive, City of Oxnard and drove her vehicle to the City of Fillmore.

The Ventura County Sheriffs Department contacted the Oxnard Police Department and members of the Family Protection Unit, along with the Violent Crimes Unit, responded to take over the investigation. The victim told detectives that as Diaz was driving her vehicle he threatened to kill her. The victim, in fear for her life, attempted to exit the vehicle when it was stopped at a red light and she was stabbed multiple times by the suspect. The victim eventually jumped out of the vehicle as it was moving in the area of the Fillmore Fish Hatchery. A citizen observed the injured victim in the roadway, drove her to Angel Doughnuts in Fillmore, and contacted police. The victim was treated for multiple stab wounds at a local hospital. Diaz was located by the Oxnard Police Department and interviewed by detectives from the Family Protection Unit. He was subsequently arrested for a host of felony charges including kidnapping and attempted murder. The victim and Diaz had a prior dating relationship. The suspect was booked at the Ventura County Main Jail where his bail has been set at $530,000.

Detectives are still investigating the case. If you witnessed the incident or have information about this incident, you are asked to call Detective Scott Aaron at 805-385-7662. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the violent crimes hotline at 805-982-7070 or Ventura County Crime Stoppers at i-800- 222-8477.

SACRAMENTO - California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith is reminding anyone who hasn’t yet received a flu vaccine to do so in time for the holidays.

“The holiday season is a time to enjoy getting together with friends and family,” Dr. Smith said. “Unfortunately, it’s also often when many people catch the flu. Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself against influenza and to protect those around you as well. Don’t let the flu ruin your holidays.”

In the United States, flu activity is usually highest between December and February and can continue into May. As long as flu viruses are circulating, it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

Flu vaccine is available now. Once administered, it takes the vaccine up to two weeks to fully protect you against the flu. An influenza vaccine is especially important for pregnant women and other people at higher risk for severe influenza.

Each year, flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands or sometimes tens of thousands of deaths in the United States. To reduce this threat, CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older, including pregnant women.

Two of this season’s vaccine components, the influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B (Yamagata lineage) strains, have been updated to match the viruses Californians are facing this flu season.

Flu can cause severe disease across all ages. According to the recently published California influenza surveillance report , there were 78 influenza-associated deaths reported in persons under 65 years of age in California during the 2014-15 influenza season. Two Californians younger than 65 years of age have already lost their lives due to the flu or its complications in this current influenza season.

Common symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, fatigue or body aches. Children may also have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

CDPH also encourages people to protect their health by eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep and not smoking. People who feel they may have influenza should contact their physician.

To stop the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses, Californians should also:

• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw away the used tissue
• Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

Dr. Smith encourages Californians to contact their health care provider, physician’s office, clinic or pharmacy about obtaining the flu vaccine. Some local health departments may also offer low- or no-cost flu immunizations. For more information about the flu visit the CDPH influenza web page. To find a flu vaccine location near you, visit www.flu.gov.

This morning the Los Angeles Unified School District shut down all of its schools due to a threat that was very specific to LAUSD. The threat came via electronic communications and law enforcement is reportedly working with school leaders there.

Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth spoke with Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean this morning and he indicated that we have no reason to believe that our schools are unsafe. Therefore, school operations are continuing as normal.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office issued this statement today at 8:00 am:
"The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has been in contact with the appropriate authorities in Los Angeles following reports of an electronic threat against several Los Angeles Unified School District schools. Whatever threats that were received were specific to the Los Angeles area. There are no known threats against any Ventura County schools or anywhere in Ventura County."

About the Ventura County Office of Education
The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.

SACRAMENTO - California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith is urging Californians to protect themselves against mosquito bites if traveling to Mexico or Latin America, where there have been increased reports of the mosquito-borne diseases chikungunya and dengue. Travelers should also be aware that there is currently transmission of dengue on the Big Island in Hawaii, and precautions against mosquito bites are advised; there are no reports of dengue transmission on the other Hawaiian islands.

“We want all Californians to be extra careful when traveling to these regions and take steps to avoid mosquito bites,” Dr. Smith said. “The mosquitoes that transmit chikungunya and dengue are aggressive daytime biters.”

Chikungunya is a viral disease characterized by acute onset of fever and severe joint pain. Dengue, another viral disease, is characterized by high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, rash, and in severe cases bleeding manifestations. For both, treatment is supportive, the disease is not contagious person to person, and there is no vaccine.

For 2015, 164 cases of chikungunya and 90 cases of dengue have been reported in California residents, all with a history of travel to areas where transmission of these diseases occurs. Of reported cases in 2015, 148 (90 percent) chikungunya and 77 (86 percent) dengue cases had a history of travel to Latin America. The number of reported California dengue cases with a history of travel to Mexico has increased in the last three years, with 80 in 2013-2015 compared to 17 in 2010-2012.

Three California residents have acquired dengue during the recent outbreak in the Big Island in Hawaii. There have been no cases of chikungunya and dengue acquired locally in California.

CDPH recommends that travelers prevent exposure to mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing and applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. DEET can be used safely on infants and children two months of age and older. In addition, make sure that your hotel or lodging has air conditioning or doors and windows with tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes.

Chikungunya was first introduced to the Caribbean in late 2013, and by Nov. 30, 2015, over 25,000 confirmed cases were reported from the Caribbean and Central, South, and North America, including over 9,000 cases in Mexico. Dengue transmission has also been prevalent throughout Latin American countries in recent years, and the risk of dengue is present in several Mexican states, including Baja California Sur (where Cabo San Lucas and La Paz are popular tourist areas).

If you have returned from an affected region and have fever with joint pain or rash within the two weeks following your return, please contact your medical provider and tell the doctor where you have traveled. If your doctor suspects chikungunya or dengue, please protect yourself against mosquito bites until you recover. This will prevent spread of the virus to mosquitoes and potentially humans here in California.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Traditionally, thefts of packages from doorsteps and mailboxes tend to increase during the holiday season. Criminals are well aware of the increase in package deliveries and drive through neighborhoods looking for unattended packages and full mailboxes. The Fillmore Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office have received information about solicitors knocking on doors, possibly casing residences, while at the same time grabbing Christmas cards, checks and gifts cards from mailboxes. A recent incident occurred in the 400 block of Fillmore Street. A male suspect, wearing a dark-colored baseball cap, dark blue jeans, and a dark-colored sleeveless “muscle” shirt was seen removing a UPS delivered package from a victim’s front porch and leaving in a red 4-door sedan. There were also packages stolen from homes on Grand Avenue. There is no suspect information on those thefts.

Here are a few tips to protect your deliveries during the holiday season:

• Ensure someone is at the residence if a delivery is expected. If this is not possible, have the delivery sent to a place of employment or request that the package be held at the Post Office for pickup.
• Tracking numbers – Most agencies will send you a tracking number to allow you to monitor where your package is and when it will be delivered.
• Promptly retrieve packages and mail from your residence.
• Drop off outgoing mail at the Post Office or hand the mail to the Postal Service delivery person.
• Encourage your neighbors to call the police to report any unusual activity in your area. People in your neighborhood usually know who resides at and visits your residence. Neighbors should call law enforcement if unknown people are seen going through your mailbox or loitering around your residence.
• Most importantly, be aware of your surroundings; protect yourself and your property by locking doors and windows and making it harder for criminals to steal your valuables.
The Fillmore Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff’s would like to wish everyone a safe and wonderful Holiday Season.

Nature of Incident: Holiday Package Theft Advisory
Report Number:
Location: City of Fillmore & the Santa Clara Valley Communities
Date & Time: 12/08/2015
Unit(s) Responsible:
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Prepared by: Sgt. Mario Aguilar
News Release Date: 12/08/2015
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sgt. Mario Aguilar (805) 524-2233
Approved by: Captain Dave Wareham

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).

Mayor Diane McCall

The City of Fillmore kicked off the holiday season just before the City Council meeting on Tuesday night with about 50 people attending the 6:00 p.m. Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in front of City Hall. Drifting snow came down (provided by a small bubble machine) creating a playground for children who attempted to build a small snowman. Hot chocolate, hot cider and cookies were provided making it a very festive scene.

The City Council meeting which followed also celebrated the appointment of a new mayor and mayor pro tem.

There were a number of other items also on its agenda; Appointments of City Council Member to Committees, Commissions, Liaison, and Outside Agencies, Proposed Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) petition to extend expiration to the year 2050, a new ad hoc committee Fillmore Development Council (FDC), and a Drought Update were just some of those items.

Diane McCall was installed as the new Mayor of Fillmore by unanimous vote. Mayor Pro Tem required some discussion. Council Member Douglas Tucker put forward Council Member Rick Neal for Mayor Pro Tem, but both Council Member Manny Minjares and Mayor McCall put Council Member Carrie Broggie for nomination. There was a small bit of discussion resulting in a unanimous vote for Broggie as the new Mayor Pro Tem.

Fillmore Supervisor David CONTINUED »