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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Convicted Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison without Parole for Santa Paula Double-Murder & Separate Shooting
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today thatย Kristian Fonseca (DOB 10/07/98) has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 114 years to life for two first-degree murders and other crimes. A jury found Fonseca guilty on March 20, 2026, of killing Jose Estrada and Daniel Zuniga. Fonseca was also… Read More
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Oxnard Man Convicted of Possessing Large Amounts of Meth for Sale
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Christopher Alexander Rodriguez (DOB 08/09/93), of Oxnard, was convicted by a jury of two felony charges related to illegal drug sales. Rodriguez was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine for sale and conspiracy to commit a crime. The jury also found true all charged special allegations… Read More
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Defendants Plead Guilty After Ventura Police Disrupt Elder Scam Operation
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that ย ย ย Shaohua Sun (DOB 08/20/86), of Monterey Park, CA, and co-defendant Yanwen Gu (DOB 03/20/86) of Rosemead, CA, each pled guilty to felony conspiracy to commit elder abuse. Sun and Gu also admitted to multiple overt acts and special allegations including that the manner in which the… Read More
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Oxnard Man Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole for Molestation & Rape of a Child
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today thatย Jesus Gonzalez-Arteaga (DOB 05/13/81), of Oxnard, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP), along with additional consecutive prison terms totaling more than 91 years to life. Gonzalez-Arteaga was previously convicted by a jury on April 9, 2026, of six felony counts related… Read More
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Final Defendant Sentenced in Sophisticated Simi Valley Burglary Crew Case
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that the final defendant in a sophisticated burglary crew responsible for a multi-million dollar heist in Simi Valley has been sentenced.At the end of April, Sergio Andres Mejia-Machuca (DOB 06/07/98) was sentenced to five years eight months in state prison. With this sentencing, all four members of… Read More
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Man Convicted of Hate Crimes After Terrorizing Couple with Racial Slurs and Knife
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that ย ย George Pierce (DOB 08/30/53), of Oxnard, was convicted by a jury of multiple felony hate crimes and related offenses stemming from a racially motivated attack made against a black couple in Ventura. The jury found Pierce guilty of felony criminal threats, attempted second degree commercial burglary,… Read More
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Moorpark Man Sentenced to Prison for Causing Girlfriendโs Death
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that William Justin Koznar (DOB 04/27/88), of Moorpark, was sentenced on May 5, 2026, to 11 years in state prison for causing the death of Sara Marie Goodwin. Koznar previously pled guilty on March 24, 2026, to one felony count of voluntary manslaughter. Koznar also admitted to… 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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January 28, 2026
The Public Integrity Unit of the Ventura County District Attorneyโs Office has completedits 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.
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May 28, 2024
Report on the March 12, 2023, shooting of Adam Barcenas by Oxnard Police Department Officer Shayn Schwartz.