In a joint news conference held on January 18, 2023, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko and Sheriff Jim Fryhoff discuss the murder of Jose Velasquez and the 11 felony charges filed against Rotherie Foster for the crime.
News Releases
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Oxnard Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Civil Rights Violation in Hate Crime Case
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gerardo Rodrigo Vargas (DOB 11/16/80), of Oxnard, pled guilty on July 6, 2026, to one felony count of violation of civil rights stemming from a racially motivated confrontation outside an Oxnard grocery store. Vargas also admitted to several special allegations including a strike prior. On May… Read More
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Charges Filed Against Juvenile Following Dangerous Ventura E-Motorcycle Pursuit
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that the District Attorney’s Office has filed a juvenile petition alleging eight counts against a minor who allegedly led Ventura Police officers on a dangerous pursuit through city streets, onto State Route 126, and across the Buena High School campus while riding a e-motorcycle. Read More
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Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder for County’s First Fentanyl Murder Conviction
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Charity Faith Wiley (DOB 09/21/85), of Reseda, has pled guilty to second-degree murder for the death of a Simi Valley man. Wiley sold a deadly synthetic drug mixture of fentanyl and xylazine to the victim who overdosed and died. She also pled guilty to five additional felonies related… Read More
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Jury Convicts Lancaster Man of Human Trafficking, Abusing Young Woman
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that a jury has found Jalen Amir Yoakum (DOB 08/07/00), of Lancaster, guilty of multiple felony charges for trafficking, exploiting, and abusing a young woman over several months. The jury convicted Yoakum on June 29, 2026, of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, pimping, pandering by encouragement, corporal… Read More
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Moorpark Man Sentenced to Jail and Probation in Death of Paul Kessler
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji (DOB 05/06/73), of Moorpark, was sentenced to one year in Ventura County Jail and two years of felony probation for the death of Paul Kessler. Alnaji previously pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to felony involuntary manslaughter and felony battery causing serious bodily… Read More
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Teenager Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Killing of Oxnard Man Sleeping Outside Church
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that a 16-year-old juvenile was found guilty today of willful, deliberate, and premeditated first-degree murder for the June 2025 killing of Davy Glen Pichel, who was sleeping outside a church in Oxnard. The minor was 14 years old at the time of the offense. “This was an exceptionally… Read More
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Santa Paula Man Convicted of Child Molestation Charges
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Jaime Torres (DOB 05/25/84), of Santa Paula, was convicted by a jury on June 24, 2026, of child molestation. Torres was found guilty of continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and lewd acts upon a child. All aggravating factors were found true, which… Read More
Video Gallery
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Ventura County District Attorney and Sheriff Joint Press Conference January 18, 2023
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Family Justice Center Restraining Order Workshop
The Ventura County Family Justice Center is holding a new restraining order workshop for those in need. Demand for this service has skyrocketed during the pandemic years. The workshops will be three days a week. Two days in English and one day in Spanish.
If you need help or information between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, call us at (805) 652-7655, text us at (805) 947-7981, or email vcfjc.coop@venturacounty.gov.
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Centro de Justicia Familiar – Taller de รณrdenes de restricciรณn contra la Violencia Domรฉstica
El Centro de Justicia Familiar del Condado de Ventura estรก organizando un nuevo taller sobre รณrdenes de restricciรณn para los necesitados. La demanda de este servicio se ha disparado durante los aรฑos de la pandemia. Los talleres serรกn tres dรญas a la semana. Dos dรญas en Inglรฉs y un dรญa en Espaรฑol.
Si necesita ayuda o informaciรณn entre las 8:00 am y las 5:00 pm, de lunes a viernes, llรกmenos al (805) 652-7655, envรญenos un mensaje de texto al (805) 947-7981 o envรญe un correo electrรณnico a vcfjc.coop@venturacounty.gov.
Notable Cases
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Former School Counselor Held to Answer on All Charges in Child Molestation Case Involving 15 Victims
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that David Lane Braff Jr. (DOB 05/28/82), of Thousand Oaks, has been held to answer on all charges following a preliminary hearing in Ventura County Superior Court. The judge found sufficient evidence for Braff to stand trial on 33 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14,…
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Oxnard Man Charged with Murder for 2014 Park Stabbing
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on April 6, 2026, that Jose Antonio Jimenez (DOB 01/08/94), of Oxnard, has been charged with murder for the 2014 killing of Labh Nigah. Jimenez made an appearance in court and had his arraignment continued to April 28, 2026. โThis was an ambush and a brutal crime committed…
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Oxnard Man Charged with Murder for Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Rodney Rey Yanez (DOB 03/11/69), of Oxnard, has been charged with the second-degree murder of Dylan Rusch. This marks the first time the Ventura County District Attorneyโs Office has filed murder charges against a defendant who knowingly sold the deadly synthetic drug, fentanyl, to a victim who overdosed…
Public Reports
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June 26, 2026
The Ventura County District Attorneyโs Office has completed its review of the November 4, 2025, non-fatal shooting by Officer Zane Alston that resulted in injury to Officer Aric Almaguer, Nathan Bonds, and Bondsโ dog, Scout.
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January 28, 2026
The Public Integrity Unit of the Ventura County District Attorneyโs Office has completed its review of the July 24, 2025, in-custody death of Mauricio Mateo Cuevas.
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November 7, 2024
Report on the April 7, 2023, shooting of Cristian Baltazar-Torres by Oxnard Police Officer Jarrod Sheffield.