News Releases

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Aaron Wayne Bouffard (DOB 02/06/70), of Oxnard, was sentenced on March 19, 2025, to 16 months in state prison, concurrent with a two-year sentence for a probation violation in a separate felony case. Bouffard had previously pled guilty on January 31, 2025, to possession or control of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and admitted the special allegation that he possessed more than 600 images. The special allegation was struck by the judge at sentencing, over the prosecutor’s objection.

“Possession of child pornography causes irreparable harm to vulnerable children,” Deputy District Attorney Katherine Plante said. “As a former teacher, parent and felony probationer, the defendant should have understood better than anyone the responsibility we all share to protect our children.”

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Antoine Nehme (DOB 07/22/51), of Victorville, has been convicted by a jury of orchestrating the 2004 murder of Dennis Wood, a Moorpark resident found dead in his home. The jury also found true the special allegation that Nehme ordered the killing for financial gain. Additionally, Judge Paul Baelly found all charged aggravating factors were true, including that the crime involved great violence and was carried out with planning, sophistication, or professionalism.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Christopher Paul Arevalo (DOB 01/09/92), of Oxnard, pled guilty on March 13, 2025, to the second-degree murder of Giovanni Vega. Arevalo also admitted to the special allegation that he personally used a firearm to commit the murder.

Arevalo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is expected to be sentenced to 35 years to life in state prison.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Gonzalo Garcia Rodriguez (DOB 03/05/01), of Salinas, has been charged with the first-degree murder of Eugenio Lopez Ramirez. Garcia Rodriguez also faces special allegations and aggravating circumstances, including use of a deadly weapon, causing great bodily injury, and that the victim was vulnerable. He pled not guilty to all charges at today’s arraignment.

Garcia Rodriguez is scheduled to return to court for an early disposition conference on April 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He remains in custody without bail.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Charity Faith Wiley (DOB 09/21/85), of Reseda, has been charged with second-degree murder for the death of a Simi Valley man. Wiley is accused of selling a deadly synthetic drug mixture of fentanyl and xylazine to the victim who overdosed and died. She is also charged with 17 additional felonies related to her alleged drug possession, sales activity, and transfer of a firearm. Wiley faces several special allegations, including that the victim was vulnerable and the crime involved a large quantity of contraband.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Marcelino Arias Arca (DOB 06/19/56), of Oxnard, was convicted by a jury of six felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. The jury found true the special allegation that there were multiple victims. Arca admitted to other special allegations regarding a prior strike conviction for molestation.

“I applaud the two victims for their extraordinary courage in coming forward and facing their abuser,” Senior Prosecutor Ben Moreno said. “Because of their bravery, this defendant will never again have the opportunity to harm a child. I also want to thank the jury for their careful attention to the evidence and their commitment to justice. Although today’s verdict cannot undue the harm the defendant caused, I hope it gives the victims the closure they so desperately deserve.”

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that  Claudia Portugal Cornejo (DOB 10/26/72), of Fillmore, was sentenced to twelve months in jail for defrauding COVID-19 relief programs and stealing more than $101,000 from the County of Ventura, the State of California, and individual victims. An additional twenty-eight months in jail was suspended as a term of her felony probation. Cornejo pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024, to five felonies: two counts of grand theft, presentation of a fraudulent claim, false personation, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

“The defendant stole tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayers and hardworking individuals, lining her own pockets at the expense of those in real need,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “Through the hard work and investigative eye of the Sheriff’s Office and County CEO’s Office, her schemes were exposed and brought to the attention of our prosecutors.”

For the past two years, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Government Fraud Unit was part of a joint investigation with the Los Angeles FBI office into widespread EBT skimming fraud. This investigation contributed to an international law enforcement effort to dismantle the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group, a Romanian criminal organization linked to the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in California welfare funds, including funds stolen from Ventura County residents.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is actively seeking two Romanian defendants with outstanding Ventura County felony warrants for EBT skimming fraud. Paul Kimpian (aka Roman Janecek) and Marius Vlaic, known affiliates of the Dorneanu Organized Crime Group, were previously arrested by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, and charged with more than a dozen felony counts, including conspiracy and grand theft, related to several instances of CalWORKs theft using cloned EBT cards. Each posted $50,000 bail in April of 2023 and are alleged to have violated bail terms by cutting off GPS ankle monitors and fleeing. If you have information about their whereabouts, please contact your local law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.