NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Leonel Galindo Galindo (DOB 03/20/89), of Santa Paula, pled guilty on June 22, 2026, to child molestation ...against two victims. Galindo pled guilty to eight counts of lewd acts upon a child and admitted the aggravating factor that he took advantage of a position of trust and confidence.
“Child molestation inflicts trauma that can endure for a lifetime.” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Emily Reber, who prosecuted the case. “Thanks to the courage and persistence of the victims and their family, we were able to hold the defendant accountable. We hope that this conviction can help them to begin their journey towards healing.”
Galindo is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He remains in custody with bail set at $2.4 million.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/3SpEGrD
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Stephen Vincent Chavez (DOB 01/17/85), of Moorpark, was sentenced to one year in Ventura County Jail and three ...years of felony probation for incest and providing alcohol to his 18-year-old biological daughter. Chavez previously pled guilty on May 18, 2026, to felony incest and misdemeanor providing alcohol to a minor. He also admitted he took advantage of a position of trust and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.
Prosecutors objected to the court’s sentence and requested the maximum sentence allowed by law of three years in state prison.
“The People requested the maximum three-year state prison sentence because the defendant exploited his position as a father, violated his daughter’s trust, supplied her with alcohol, and engaged in criminal conduct that forever altered the course of her life,” said Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty. “While we respect the court’s decision, we continue to believe a state prison sentence was warranted under the facts of this case.”
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4uQBVNC
Congratulations to Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Erin Weilbacher, who was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving at its annual Tri-Counties Awards ceremony recognizing outstanding efforts... to combat impaired driving in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko spoke about Erin’s dedication to victims and public safety before presenting her with the award.
Congratulations to Erin and all of this year’s honorees! 👏🚔⚖️
NEWS RELEASE:
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Rejean Morgan Tabor (DOB 06/26/91), of Simi Valley, has been charged with felony willful, deliberate, premeditated attempted ...murder for the alleged strangulation attack of a shopper inside a Simi Valley Target store. Tabor is also charged with crimes involving four additional victims, including two misdemeanor counts of battery, one misdemeanor count of assault, and one misdemeanor count of child abuse for allegedly inflicting injury on a minor.
Tabor made his first court appearance today. No plea was entered, and criminal proceedings were suspended after the defense declared a doubt as to Tabor’s competency. He remains in custody with bail set at $750,000 pending a competency hearing scheduled for July 16, 2026.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/44mXk67
Please join us in welcoming our newest Victim Advocate, Melissa Ipatzi!
Melissa was officially sworn in this morning by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko and is now part of our... team serving crime victims throughout Ventura County.
Victim Advocates play a vital role in helping victims navigate the criminal justice system, connecting them with resources, and ensuring their voices are heard every step of the way.
Welcome to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Melissa! We are excited to have you on board.
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that federal prosecutors have taken over the prosecution of four men previously charged in Ventura County in ...connection with a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
On June 12, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office obtained a federal grand jury indictment charging Jorge Humberto Valdivia (DOB 05/30/99), Angel Omar Azpeitia Garcia (DOB 01/17/95), Jorge Arturo Marquez Chavez (DOB 05/13/98), and Victor Manuel Otero Correa (DOB 12/11/02), all of North Hollywood, with 17 federal counts arising from the same conduct alleged in the Ventura County case. As a result of the federal prosecution, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office dismissed its case against the defendants on June 15, 2026. Under the federal indictment, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
“The amount of narcotics recovered in this case was staggering and posed a significant threat to public safety throughout Ventura County,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger, who handled the Ventura County case. “Federal prosecution ensures these defendants face substantial consequences and reflects the seriousness of the conduct alleged.”
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/4fVOh39
📌Reminder: The District Attorney's Office will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
All office sites reopen Monday, June 22, 2026.
NEWS RELEASE:
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gabriel Esquivel (DOB 01/13/02), of Oxnard, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the ...deaths of two bicyclists on State Route 1 (SR-1) near Solimar Beach.
The collision caused fatal injuries to Kellie Standish, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. William Colby Tucker was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. A third victim suffered major injuries.
Esquivel is charged with murder because he had previously been warned about the deadly consequences of impaired driving. Following a December 19, 2025, DUI arrest in Oxnard, Esquivel received multiple Watson advisements, which warn drivers that if they drive under the influence again and someone is killed, they can be charged with murder. That case remains pending in Ventura County Superior Court.
READ MORE: https://bit.ly/3Q5jiaw