NEWS RELEASE:
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 injury to a cohabitant, and dissuading a witness by force or threat. Several special allegations and aggravating factors were found true, including that Yoakum has a prior strike conviction, engaged in violent conduct, targeted a particularly vulnerable victim and involved another person in the commission of the crimes.
“This verdict recognizes the victim’s courage and the brutality she survived,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly said. “Human trafficking does not always look like chains or locked doors. In this case, it hid under the guise of a relationship and was enforced through violence, fear, shame, and control.”
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NEWS RELEASE:
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 injury. He also admitted a special allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury, along with aggravating factors that he used a weapon and that the victim was particularly vulnerable. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office argued for a state prison sentence and objected to the court’s decision to impose one year of jail and probation.
Victim impact statements were submitted prior to the sentencing hearing for the court to read, including a statement from Mr. Kessler’s widow.
“There are no words to describe the pain of losing a husband in such a sudden and violent way,” his widow wrote. “The grief is relentless. The silence in our house, the absence of his voice, his companionship, his love and the future we had planned together are losses I carry with me every day.”
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NEWS RELEASE:
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 brutal and senseless attack on a vulnerable member of our community,” said Deputy District Attorney Juliet Buff, who prosecuted the contested jurisdictional hearing. “Today’s verdict ensures that both juveniles have now been held accountable for Mr. Pichel’s murder. While no court outcome can restore the life that was taken, we hope this result provides Mr. Pichel’s loved ones with a measure of justice.”
The minor is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026, at the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard. He faces a maximum base term of seven years in the Secured Youth Treatment Facility.
Under California law, a juvenile who commits a murder may be committed to the Secured Youth Treatment Facility for four to seven years. A court may choose one of these options for murder. No matter what the sentence, the juvenile court only has jurisdiction over a person until the age of 25 years old.
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NEWS RELEASE:
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 included the victim being particularly vulnerable and Torres taking advantage of a position of trust.
“I’m grateful to the jury for the time and care they devoted to this difficult and emotional case,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Ben Moreno said. “Their verdict holds the defendant accountable for the harm he caused and brings long-overdue justice to the victim and her family. I hope it gives them the closure they deserve.”
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NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that federal prosecutors have assumed prosecution of a Riverside County man previously charged in Ventura County in ...connection with a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation involving hundreds of pounds of narcotics and multiple firearms.
On June 17, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California obtained a federal indictment charging Sergio Samuel Sanchez (DOB 04/19/89) with federal narcotics and firearms offenses arising from the same conduct alleged in the Ventura County case. On June 22, 2026, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the state case in favor of federal prosecution. Sanchez made his first federal court appearance on June 23 for arraignment.
“This case involved an extraordinary quantity of methamphetamine and multiple firearms, posing a significant threat to public safety,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “Federal prosecution ensures that those who engage in large-scale drug trafficking operations face the substantial penalties available under federal law.”
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Nearly 200 Ventura County residents attended the Taxpayers’ Focus on Public Safety event earlier this month to hear from local public safety leaders on issues impacting community safety.
...District Attorney Erik Nasarenko joined a panel discussion alongside other officials as they addressed current and emerging public safety challenges and answered questions from the community.
The event underscored Ventura County’s continued commitment to keeping residents safe and informed. Attendees left with a better understanding of steps they can take to help protect themselves and their families.