NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that three of the four members of a sophisticated burglary crew were sentenced on February 20, 2026. The crew is ...responsible for the coordinated commercial burglary on May 25, 2025, at 5-Star Jewelry & Watch Repair and Dr. Conkey’s Candy and Coffee Shop in Simi Valley.
Manuel David Ibarra and Camilo Antonio Aguilar Lara were each sentenced to four years four months in the Ventura County Jail. Heidi Trujillo was sentenced to four years in jail. The fourth defendant, Sergio Andres Mejía-Machuca, had his sentencing hearing continued to March 26, 2026.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/46qWjvl
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office joined the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at a joint press conference to announce the identification of a Jane Doe cold case victim.
On ...July 18, 1980, deputies responded to the upper parking lot of Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, where a young woman was found deceased. She had suffered multiple stab wounds and was later determined to be pregnant at the time of her death. Despite extensive investigative efforts, she remained unidentified for decades and became known as “Jane Doe Ventura County.”
In 2011, the case was reexamined by the Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit. DNA evidence was analyzed and entered into CODIS, ultimately leading to the identification and conviction of Wilson Chouest for her murder. He is now serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
While the conviction brought accountability, the work to restore her identity continued. Through advances in forensic DNA technology and collaboration with the DNA Doe Project, she was positively identified in January 2026 as Maricela Rocha Parga.
This case represents more than a successful prosecution. It represents restoring a name, honoring a life, and bringing long-awaited answers to a family.
On July 18, 1980, deputies responded to Westlake High School where a deceased female with multiple stab wounds was found. The victim, who was pregnant at the time of her death, remained unidentified ...for decades and was known as “Jane Doe Ventura County.”
In 2013, DNA evidence led to a CODIS match to a suspect, who was later convicted of her murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Through advances in DNA technology and collaboration with the DNA Doe Project, the victim was positively identified in January 2026.
You can watch today’s news conference live at 9am here: vimeo.com/event/5694735
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Ida Veronica Hernandez (DOB 06/27/80) was sentenced to four years, four months in state prison for an extensive... embezzlement scheme committed while she was employed as a bookkeeper for a Thousand Oaks medical practice.
“I wish trusted employees that steal understood the devastation they leave behind,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise said. “It’s not just financial. It’s the mental pain caused by disappointment and the frustration of having to unravel the records for months and sometimes years.”
Along with her prison sentence, Hernandez was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $560,000.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4c1N3l1
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko and Bureau Chief Scott Whitney spoke today at the Todd Road Jail to participants of the Oxnard Leadership Academy.
The discussion focused on the District ...Attorney’s Office efforts to combat organized retail theft, solve long-standing cold cases, and protect children from exploitation and abuse.
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Kebin Dong (DOB 02/01/88) and Wei Nie (DOB 08/08/85), of Hacienda Heights, have been charged with four felony ...counts for their alleged roles in running a sex services business. Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and three counts of pimping.
The married couple allegedly owned and operated an internet-based website advertising commercial sex services and facilitating appointments at numerous residential and hotel locations statewide, including sites in Ventura County. Earlier this month, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies executed search warrants in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Multiple sex workers were contacted including three in Ventura County.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4r5qRdL
Since launching our Uber account in 2022, the Ventura County Family Justice Center has provided:
🚗 403 rides to help victims get to court, counseling, shelter, and other critical ...services
🍽️ 11 food deliveries to support victims in times of immediate need
And now, thanks to a new award through our partnership with Uber for Business, that impact is growing.
More rides. More meals. More access to safety and support when it matters most.
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gary Steven Daniel II (DOB 09/21/78), of Oxnard, was sentenced on February 17, 2026, to seven years, four months... in state prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He had pleaded guilty on January 15, 2026, in two cases involving CSAM possession. These convictions included admissions that he had previously been convicted of possessing CSAM, was a California sexual offender registrant, and had been released on bail when the second crime occurred.
“Since 2015, Mr. Daniel became increasingly sophisticated in his quest to obtain CSAM,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise said. “However, the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Unit of our Bureau of Investigation was one step ahead to bring Mr. Daniel to justice.”
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4kPPJEO
