April 20, 2023
On April 20, 2023, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced that Austin Allen Eis (DOB 05/29/98), of Camarillo, has been charged with the murder of 15-year-old Wesley W. of Thousand Oaks. Eis has also been charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, use of pepper spray, second-degree commercial burglary, first-degree residential burglary, false imprisonment by violence and three misdemeanor counts of brandishing a knife. He is also facing several special allegations, including three counts of causing great bodily injury. On April 18, 2023, Eis is accused of committing a crime spree throughout Ventura County. Eis is alleged to have entered a Simi Valley Walmart, where he used pepper spray and stabbed one employee, physically assaulted and attempted to drag a second employee and lunged at two additional employees with a knife. After leaving Walmart, Eis is alleged to have fled to a residence in Camarillo and…
April 19, 2023
On April 19, 2023, Jason Armenta (DOB 03/06/01), of Oxnard, was sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 50 years to life in prison. Armenta had previously been convicted by a jury on April 26, 2022, of the first-degree murder of Cristobal Gonzalez, a rival gang member. The jury also found Armenta guilty of attempted murder of a second victim, that Armenta personally used a firearm in the commission of the crimes, and that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang. On April 4, 2021, Armenta drove multiple times into a residential neighborhood in south Oxnard, looking for rival gang members and eventually parked and exited his car. Armenta then ran toward a playground area where Mr. Gonzalez was standing and fired numerous rounds from a semi-automatic handgun at Mr. Gonzalez and a second victim. Mr. Gonzalez was struck once in the head and died…
April 14, 2023
On April 13, 2023, Javontay Bess (DOB 03/26/96), of Fresno, pled guilty in Ventura County Superior Court to felony human trafficking, by causing a minor to engage in a commercial sex act. He also admitted to the special allegation of committing the crime while on probation or parole. In May 2019, an alert citizen called the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office to report suspicious circumstances and possible sex trafficking at a Camarillo motel. Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives initiated an investigation into the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old victim. Both the minor victim as well as the suspect were from outside Ventura County. Detectives ultimately determined that Bess used online advertising to arrange commercial sex acts with the 16-year-old victim at Ventura County motels. Bess is currently serving a prison sentence in Kern County after being convicted of multiple felonies including assault with a firearm, assault on a peace officer and child…
April 10, 2023
On April 7, 2023, Karapet Gasparyan (DOB 06/23/81), and Grigor Gasparyan (DOB 09/07/01), both of North Hollywood, were sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 300 days in Ventura County Jail and two years felony probation. The judge also imposed a four-year state prison suspended sentence on both men. The Gasparyans previously pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit a crime and three counts of grand theft. The guilty pleas included special allegations, including committing two or more related felonies resulting in a loss of more than $100,000. On August 6, 2020, a witness called 911 to report suspicious activity at a Bank of America ATM in Thousand Oaks. Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies responded and conducted a traffic stop. Karapet Gasparyan and Grigor Gasparyan were found to have 200 fraudulent Employment Development Department (EDD) unemployment insurance cards and more than $168,000 cash inside the vehicle. Further investigation by…
April 6, 2023
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is warning the public about deceptive letters recently sent to residents. The letters threaten property owners with potential asset levies and/or property seizure. The letters attempt to create a sense of urgency and they include an (800) number to call. Examples of these deceptive correspondence letters are attached to this news release. Ventura County property owners are reminded that if they have a question on the status of their property taxes, they should contact the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office. Legitimate letters from the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector will have a local address and a local telephone number. Residents may call the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector at (805) 654-3744 or send an email to helpinghand@ventura.org. If taxpayers have a question on the status of their state or federal tax liability, they should contact the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS),…
April 4, 2023
On April 4, 2023, Randall Graham (DOB 03/07/78), of Goleta, pled guilty in Ventura County Superior Court to making criminal threats against the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Graham also admitted the special allegation of threatening great bodily harm. The threats against Conejo Unified were made on October 13, 2022. Graham, upset with school district policies, called the district office and left two voicemails threatening to kill the superintendent and others in the superintendent’s office. He was arrested on October 15, 2022, by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office after an investigation by the Thousand Oaks Police Department. Deputy District Attorney Brandon Yeaton, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Serious and Violent Felonies unit, prosecuted the case. Graham is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
April 4, 2023
In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is working to raise awareness about sexual violence. Sexual assault is a pervasive and deeply harmful crime that affects individuals and communities across our country. In fact, every 68 seconds someone is the United States is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. “In Ventura County, we are fortunate to have the Family Justice Center that can be a resource for victims of sexual assault,” said Victim and Community Services Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Jump. “The Ventura County Family Justice Center is staffed by District Attorney victim advocates, partners like Coalition for Family Harmony, Interface Children & Family Services, Ventura County Health Care Agency and many other governmental and nonprofit partners. The Family Justice Center assists victims of sexual assault with a free medical exam, assistance obtaining a restraining order, updates about…
April 3, 2023
VENTURA, Calif. – On April 3, 2023, Raymond Giral (DOB 04/21/67) was sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 12 years prison. Giral had previously been convicted by a Ventura County jury on March 3, 2023, of four counts of a lewd act upon a child. The convictions included aggravating circumstances that the victim was particularly vulnerable and that Giral took advantage of a position of trust. The jury also found true the special allegation that Giral had substantial sexual conduct with the victim. The crimes occurred at multiple locations in Ventura County between 2007 and 2012. The victim came forward in 2018 after learning that Giral had been arrested for a separate sex crime in Colorado. Giral is currently serving an eight-year prison term in Colorado. Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Moreno, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, prosecuted the case. “I am proud…
March 27, 2023
On March 24, 2023, a Ventura County jury convicted Jesus Zavala Castaneda (DOB 05/24/60), of Oxnard, on two counts of lewd touching of a minor under 14 years old. The jury also found all aggravating factors related to each count to be true. Castaneda sexually exploited an underage family member between 2018 and 2019. The conduct stopped in June 2019 when the 13-year-old victim reported the abuse. Following a two-week trial that included courageous testimony from the victim, her peers, her mother, as well as a senior detective, teacher, and expert on child abuse, a jury convicted Castaneda of two felony violations. “I was struck by the courage of the victim and the strength of her mother,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Edward Andrews, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit. “For adolescents reporting sexual abuse, good parental support is the most vital tool for…
March 23, 2023
Today, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced the conviction of David Flores (DOB 10/12/97), of Oxnard, for the murders of Aaron Austin and Eduardo Viveros in 2017. The jury found Flores guilty of two counts of murder in the first-degree, and three counts of robbery in the second-degree. All special allegations, including gun enhancements, were found to be true. On May 16, 2017, Flores and two accomplices, who previously pled guilty, were responsible for the shooting deaths of Aaron Austin and Eduardo Viveros. Mr. Austin was shot four times and found in front of an apartment complex on North G Street in Oxnard. He was pronounced dead at the Ventura County Medical Center. Mr. Viveros suffered from three gunshot wounds and died on Perkins Road in Oxnard. The shootings were separated by less than 30 minutes. Flores and the two accomplices also robbed three additional victims at gunpoint. Senior…