Category Archives: News Releases

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Vidal Vargas Morales (DOB 12/30/60), of Fillmore, was sentenced on January 23, 2024, to two years state prison and is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code section 290. Morales was previously convicted on December 12, 2023, of one felony count of lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. The special allegation that he took advantage of a position of trust and confidence to commit the offense was also found true by the court.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Euren Balbuena (DOB 11/29/90), of Simi Valley, was sentenced on January 17, 2024, to 33 years to life in prison for three felony convictions, including the murder of girlfriend Zaira Patino-Trejo. Balbuena was previously convicted by a jury on November 21, 2023, of the first-degree murder of Patino-Trejo, battery causing great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon against her mother. The jury also found two special allegations to be true, that Balbuena personally used a knife in the killing and caused great bodily injury in commission of a felony.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Gerald Rous (DOB 07/11/61), of Ventura, pled guilty on January 10, 2024, to workers’ compensation insurance fraud, a felony.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Jordan Nathaniel Boyd (DOB 07/01/83), of Port Hueneme, has been charged with four felony counts of attempting to cause a minor to engage in commercial sex acts. Each count also carries a special allegation that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicated planning, sophistication, or professionalism. Boyd was arraigned in Ventura County Superior Court on January 11, 2024, where he pled not guilty.

Today, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors proclaimed the month of January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 13, 2024, as Soroptimist STOP Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Ventura County. Our office is committed to ending human trafficking in Ventura County. We recognize the urgency of this cause, and we will continue to pursue justice for survivors while holding predators accountable. Erik Nasarenko, Ventura County District Attorney

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is informing the public about a recent report our office received from the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators (IAFCI, December 2023) regarding QR code fraud, and the relative financial and security risks associated with this increasing growing form of fraud.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that on December 26, 2023, Jason Quinn (DOB 09/22/75), of Ventura, was convicted by a jury of two felony drug possession counts. One for possession of fentanyl for sale and one for possession of methamphetamine for sale. He was also found guilty of driving on a suspended or revoked license. The court found true the special allegation that Quinn was on probation when the crime was committed. Quinn is on probation and pending sentencing on a 2021 case where he pled guilty on March 15, 2023, to one count of possessing fentanyl for sale and was given the Dangerous Drug Advisement.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gerardo Israel Escalante (DOB 05/25/89), of Santa Paula, has been charged with felony driving under the influence (DUI) causing injury, felony driving with a .08 percent blood alcohol causing injury, and one misdemeanor count for unlawful vehicle operation. Escalante has also been charged with several special allegations, including causing great bodily injury in the commission of a felony and for having prior DUI convictions. Escalante’s arraignment was continued this morning to December 27, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He’s currently in custody with bail set at $500,000.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Mauricio Torres (03/31/82), of Simi Valley, pled guilty and was sentenced on December 15, 2023, for failing to have workers’ compensation insurance, a misdemeanor. Torres was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. He also previously paid $9,868 in restitution to State Fund, a worker’s compensation insurance company.

The top law enforcement officials from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and the Ventura County Chief Executive Dr. Sevet Johnson joined Rep. Carbajal to emphasize the impact that fentanyl trafficking has had on the Central Coast, including the deadly rise in opioid-related overdoses in recent years.