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District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Steven Wayne Bower (DOB 03/22/1970), of Ojai, was convicted by a jury of three felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. The jury also found true several special allegations, including Bower having substantial sexual conduct and there being multiple victims. Bower is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 24 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is being held without bail in Ventura County Jail and faces a maximum of 45 years to life in state prison.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Joel James Gonzales (DOB 02/11/96), of Ventura, was sentenced to 16 years 8 months in state prison. He previously pled guilty to one count of felony lewd acts on a dependent adult and was convicted by a jury on July 22, 2024, of the attempted murder of a six-year-old girl, felony assault with intent to commit rape during a burglary, and misdemeanor aggravated trespassing. Several special allegations and aggravating factors were also found true, including Gonzales causing great bodily injury in commission of a felony, the crime involving great violence, the victim being vulnerable, and the defendant taking advantage of a position of trust.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has charged Michael Thomas McDevitt (DOB 11/24/81), of Simi Valley, with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal fentanyl overdose of Thousand Oaks resident Karissa Robinson. He is also charged with furnishing fentanyl and furnishing methamphetamine with the special allegation that he caused great bodily injury. McDevitt pled not guilty at his arraignment.

Wire fraud in real estate transactions is rapidly increasing, posing a significant threat to both buyers and sellers. According to the FBI, fraudsters are increasingly employing sophisticated social engineering techniques to infiltrate real estate transactions by impersonating trusted parties such as escrow officers, real estate agents, title representatives, and other key figures. This type of fraud typically occurs through electronic communications, with emails being the primary medium. Once fraudsters gain access to the transaction, they often target crucial monies like buyer’s closing funds, seller’s proceeds, lender’s funds, and even broker commissions. By intercepting or manipulating communication, they deceive the parties into wiring money to fraudulent accounts, often leaving victims with significant financial losses and little recourse. “Our office is committed to protecting residents from these sophisticated scams,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “We urge the public to stay vigilant, verify information with trusted sources, and be cautious before transferring any…

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The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that William Cornelis Boer (DOB 04/20/63), of Moorpark, has been charged with two felony counts of attempted murder, one felony count of possessing explosives, and one felony count of attempting to set fire to a structure. Boer’s arraignment was continued to October 11, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He remains in custody without bail.