District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Antoine Nehme (DOB 07/22/51), of Victorville, has been convicted by a jury of orchestrating the 2004 murder of Dennis Wood, a Moorpark resident found dead in his home. The jury also found true the special allegation that Nehme ordered the killing for financial gain. Additionally, Judge Paul Baelly found all charged aggravating factors were true, including that the crime involved great violence and was carried out with planning, sophistication, or professionalism.
Jury Finds Man Guilty of Ordering 2004 Moorpark Killing
Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Oxnard Murder
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Christopher Paul Arevalo (DOB 01/09/92), of Oxnard, pled guilty on March 13, 2025, to the second-degree murder of Giovanni Vega. Arevalo also admitted to the special allegation that he personally used a firearm to commit the murder.
Arevalo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is expected to be sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison.
Salinas Man Charged with Murder for Deadly Oxnard Stabbing
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gonzalo Garcia Rodriguez (DOB 03/05/01), of Salinas, has been charged with the first-degree murder of Eugenio Lopez Ramirez. Garcia Rodriguez also faces special allegations and aggravating circumstances, including use of a deadly weapon, causing great bodily injury, and that the victim was vulnerable. He pled not guilty to all charges at today’s arraignment.
Garcia Rodriguez is scheduled to return to court for an early disposition conference on April 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He remains in custody without bail.
Los Angeles County Woman Charged with Murder for Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Charity Faith Wiley (DOB 09/21/85), of Reseda, has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of a Simi Valley man. Wiley is accused of selling a deadly synthetic drug mixture of fentanyl and xylazine to the victim who overdosed and died. She is also charged with 17 additional felonies related to her alleged drug possession, sales activity, and transfer of a firearm. Wiley faces several special allegations, including that the victim was vulnerable and the crime involved a large quantity of contraband.
Oxnard Man Convicted of Child Molestation on Two Victims
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Marcelino Arias Arca (DOB 06/19/56), of Oxnard, was convicted by a jury of six felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. The jury found true the special allegation that there were multiple victims. Arca admitted to other special allegations regarding a prior strike conviction for molestation.
“I applaud the two victims for their extraordinary courage in coming forward and facing their abuser,” Senior Prosecutor Ben Moreno said. “Because of their bravery, this defendant will never again have the opportunity to harm a child. I also want to thank the jury for their careful attention to the evidence and their commitment to justice. Although today’s verdict cannot undue the harm the defendant caused, I hope it gives the victims the closure they so desperately deserve.”
Settlement Reached in Unlawful Propane Disposal at Oxnard Recycling Center
An investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has determined that a hazardous propane release at the City of Oxnard Del Norte Regional Recycling and Transfer Station originated from an improperly disposed tank by ModVans Inc., a manufacturer of recreational vehicles.
“This incident serves as a reminder that improper disposal of hazardous materials can put workers, first responders, and the public at serious risk,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “Proper training and adherence to hazardous waste regulations are critical to preventing dangerous situations like this.”
Fillmore Woman Sentenced for Defrauding COVID-19 Business Grant Programs
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Claudia Portugal Cornejo (DOB 10/26/72), of Fillmore, was sentenced to twelve months in jail for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs and stealing more than $101,000 from the County of Ventura, the State of California, and individual victims. An additional twenty-eight months in jail was suspended as a term of her felony probation. Cornejo pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024, to five felonies: two counts of grand theft, presentation of a fraudulent claim, false personation, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
“The defendant stole tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers and hardworking individuals, lining her own pockets at the expense of those in real need,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “Through the hard work and investigative eye of the Sheriff’s Office and County CEO’s Office, her schemes were exposed and brought to the attention of our prosecutors.”
District Attorney’s Office Seeking Romanian Defendants in Skimming Fraud
For the past two years, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Government Fraud Unit was part of a joint investigation with the Los Angeles FBI office into widespread EBT skimming fraud. This investigation contributed to an international law enforcement effort to dismantle the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group, a Romanian criminal organization linked to the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in California welfare funds, including funds stolen from Ventura County residents.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is actively seeking two Romanian defendants with outstanding Ventura County felony warrants for EBT skimming fraud. Paul Kimpian (aka Roman Janecek) and Marius Vlaic, known affiliates of the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group, were previously arrested by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, and charged with more than a dozen felony counts, including conspiracy and grand theft, related to several instances of CalWORKs theft using cloned EBT cards. Each posted $50,000 bail in April of 2023 and are alleged to have violated bail terms by cutting off GPS ankle monitors and fleeing. If you have information about their whereabouts, please contact your local law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Investigation Uncovers Illegal Petroleum Discharge into Grimes Canyon Creek
An investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has determined that a petroleum-contaminated wastewater discharge into Grimes Canyon Creek originated from a vacuum truck operated by a temporary employee of Advanced Industrial Services, Inc. (AIS).
Evidence showed that between 4:00 a.m. and 4:49 a.m., the driver loaded petroleum-contaminated wastewater, backed the truck up to Grimes Canyon Creek, and discharged approximately 150 gallons into a ravine leading to the creek bed. The driver then left without reporting the spill, as required by law.
California AutoNation Dealerships Settle Consumer Protection Lawsuit
A San Jose judge has ordered a network of car dealerships owned and operated as subsidiaries of AutoNation, Inc., one of the country’s largest automobile sellers, to pay $650,000 to resolve a consumer protection action related to the sale of used vehicles.
The payments were ordered as part of a settlement stemming from a lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and five other California District Attorneys. The dealerships were accused of violating state laws requiring the timely transfer of registration and ownership of used vehicles. California law mandates that used car dealers submit an application to the DMV to transfer registration to a buyer within 30 days of the date of sale. The same 30-day deadline applies to the transfer of the certificate of ownership, or “pink slip,” with extensions allowed only if the DMV returns an application due to missing information.
