Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Robbery with a knife
DATE/TIME:	11-16-2010 at 11:35 A.M.
LOCATION:	Towne & Country Market 611 W. First St.
VICTIM(S):	69 year old female Oxnard resident – Not injured. 69 year old male Oxnard resident – Not injured.
SUSPECT(S):	Miguel Angel Cardenas, 33 years old, Oxnard
WITNESS(ES):	N/A
SUSPECT VEHICLE(S):	2001, Black, VW Jetta, 4-door
LOSS:	12 Pack of Budweiser Beer & 1-Quart Bottle of Orange Juice
PREPARED BY:	Detective Steven Funk
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Detective Steven F. Funk (805) 385-7796 stevenfunk@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

On 11-16-2010, at approximately 11:35 A.M., Oxnard Police Officers contacted the victim’s of a robbery that occurred at the Towne and Country Market located at 611 W. First Street, Oxnard. Suspect Miguel Cardenas entered the store and selected beer from the cold storage area of the market along with a bottle of Orange Juice. The suspect started to exit the store without paying for the items when he was contacted by the owners of the store and asked to pay for the items. Suspect Cardenas pulled out a large knife and brandished it at the owners causing them to move out of the way. Suspect Cardenas exited the store and got into an awaiting vehicle. The owners were able to obtain the license plate to the suspect vehicle and officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle in the 300 block of North Harrison Ave. Oxnard Police Officers observed suspect Cardenas walk out of the residence holding the stolen beer. Officers contacted Cardenas and took him into custody without further incident. The items taken in the robbery were recovered.

Anyone with further information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Steven F. Funk at (805) 385-7796, e-mail stevenfunk@oxnardpd.org or you may leave a message on the Violent Crimes Hotline at (805) 982-7070. To give an anonymous tip call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).

An investigation is continuing.

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

DETAILS:

Oxnard Police is currently investigating a shooting that took place at approximately 5:20 a.m. in the area of Cedar St./G St. Preliminary information indicates that a 35-year old male was shot by unknown suspects with an undetermined firearm. As officers were responding to the scene, they learned that the victim was being transported in a private vehicle (BMW) to St. John’s Regional Medical Center, when the driver, a 32-year old female, became involved in an injury traffic collision with a Ford Focus at Fifth St./Rose Ave. The 50-year old male driver of the Ford sustained minor injuries and was transported to Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC). The shooting victim was also transported to VCMC and his condition is not known at this time. No further information is available at this time. A press release will be issued later by investigators once the investigation has further progressed.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRESS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Arrest of Armed Robbery Suspects
DATE/TIME:	6/30/11 1300 hours
LOCATION:	1500 Block Graves Ave. and 1900 Block North “C” Street
VICTIM(S):	Names withheld, Oxnard residents
SUSPECT(S):	(S1) Steven Rodriguez, 21 year old Ventura resident (S2) 14 year old Oxnard resident
LOSS:	Cellular phones, US Currency
PREPARED BY:	Sergeant Christopher Williams
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Detective Jeff McGreevy (805) 385-3982 or Jeffery.McGreevy@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

On 6-23-2011, during the early morning hours, two separate armed robberies occurred in the north end of the city. The first robbery occurred in the 1500 Block of Graves Avenue and the second occurred in the 1900 block of North “C” Street. During both robberies the suspect was armed with a weapon.

During the investigation, members of Oxnard Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) were able to identify both suspects. They were identified as Steven Rodriguez, a 21 year old Ventura resident, and a 14 year old juvenile. We are unable to release the name of the juvenile because of his age.

On 6/29/11, Rodriguez was arrested in Santa Paula at his place of employment. He was booked at the Ventura County Jail for robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. On 6/30/11, the 14 year old juvenile was contacted at his residence and arrested for robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was lodged at Juvenile Hall.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:

Fatal Traffic Collision – Vehicle vs. Pedestrian

DATE/TIME:

December 16, 2012 / 0222 Hours

LOCATION:

Harbor Boulevard / Wooley Road

VICTIM(S):

Male, 25, of Port Hueneme (Name withheld pending notification of next of kin)

PREPARED BY:

Randy Latimer, Traffic Sergeant
randy.latimer@oxnardpd.org

CONTACT PERSON &
CONTACT INFO:

Scott Aaron, Traffic Officer 805-385-7600

DETAILS:On December 16, 2012 at about 2:22 A.M., officers responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Wooley Road. Upon arrival, officers found that a male (name withheld), 25 years old of Port Hueneme had been struck by a pickup driven by Adam Spires, 34 years old of Port Hueneme. The pedestrian sustained fatal injuries as a result of being struck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the pedestrian may have been crossing westbound against a red signal when the vehicle driven by Spires, who was southbound on Harbor Boulevard, struck him.

It is unknown if alcohol was a factor in this collision.

If anyone has information about this collision, please contact Officer Scott Aaron at
805-385-7600. The investigation is ongoing.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Robbery – Home Invasion
DATE/TIME:	10/31/13 at approximately 2300 hours
LOCATION:	The Colony Mobile Home Park, 2400 East Pleasant Valley
VICTIM(S):	Juana Pitones, 56 year old Oxnard resident
SUSPECT(S):	Suspect #1 – Mask and dark colored clothing Suspect #2 – Male, no further description
PREPARED BY:	Sergeant Alex Arnett
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Detective Steve Funk Steven.funk@oxnardpd.org or (805)385-7796

DETAILS: On 11/1/13 at approximately 0700 hours, Oxnard police officers responded to a 911 call at the Colony Mobile Home Park, located at 2400 East Pleasant Valley Road. When Officers arrived on scene, they located a female victim named Juana Pitones. Pitones had her hands tied behind her back with rope. Pitones was not injured and did not require medical treatment.

Pitones told officers she arrived home last night around 2300 hours and was confronted by two unknown male suspects. The suspects entered the victim’s home and demand money and other valuable items. The suspects tied the victim’s hands behind her back and then tied her to a chair. The suspects fled with the undisclosed amount of money and other valuable items.

If anyone has information about this incident, they are encouraged to call Detective Steven Funk at (805) 385-7796. If you wish to remain anonymous you may call the violent crimes hotline at (805) 982-7070 or Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. You can also visit this site http://www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org/contactus.aspx to submit a tip via text or email.

DATE / TIME PREPARED: 11/1/2013, 1005 hours

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ventura Police, the Oxnard Police Department Special Operation
DATE/TIME:	11/20/2013 10:00am News Conference
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Miguel Lopez, Community Affairs Manager, miguel.lopez@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS: 17 Ventura County Gang Members With Ties to the Mexican Mafia Charged For Roles in Mexican-Based Drug Trafficking Organization

Operation “SuperNova” is Targeting Gang-Related Drug Trafficking

LOS ANGELES – In the third phase of Operation “SuperNova,” a multi-agency task force investigation that targeted Mexican Mafia-affiliated street gangs in Ventura County, 17 people have been charged following an investigation by a task force comprised of the FBI; the Ventura Police Department and the Oxnard Police Department. Following arrests this morning, 14 or 17 defendants named in a federal criminal complaint unsealed this morning are now in custody.
Several teams of police officers and federal agents executed arrest and search warrants early this morning and took six defendants into custody without incident. Eight of the 17 defendants charged were already in custody based on unrelated charges and soon will be brought into federal custody. The remaining three defendants charged in the complaint are fugitives, some believed to be residing in Mexico, where they allegedly direct the narcotics-trafficking activity alleged in the complaint.
The criminal complaint details a year-long undercover investigation and outlines a series of narcotics transactions that led to the seizure of more than two pounds of methamphetamine and quantities of heroin that were being sold on the streets of Ventura County. The complaint alleges that the drugs were supplied by a Mexican drug trafficking 0rganization controlled by Mexican Mafia member Martin Madrigal-Cazares. Local street gangs allegedly communicated with the head of the organization in Mexico, while controlling narcotics sales and collecting “taxes” on behalf of the Mexican Mafia in Ventura County.
This case targeted the “shotcallers” of Ventura County and Oxnard street gangs — including Lemonwood, Surtown and Ventura Avenue Gangsters — whose members control the drug trade in their respective territories. The defendants charged in the complaint (with the exception of Cazares) are residents of Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo and Moorpark. Those named are:

·         David Acosta, 33, in custody;
·         Daniel Armendariz, 38, arrested today;
·         Pedro Arrieta, 42, arrested today
·         Robert De La Cerda, 35, in custody
·         Lina Fuentes, 35, fugitive;
·         Daniel Gonzales, 40, in custody;
·         Philip Guerra, 28, arrested today;
·         Ruben Hernandez, 20, in custody;
·         Alejandro Herrera, 38, in custody;
·         David Leal, David, 44, arrested today;
·         Martin Madrigal-Cazares, 38, a fugitive believed to be residing in Mexico;
·         Dillon Mansell, 21, in custody;
·         Armando Molina, 30, arrested today;
·         Edwin Mora, 29, in custody;
·         Librado Navarrete, 27, a fugitive;
·         Frank Ruiz, 32, arrested today; and
·         Javier Tamayo, 35, in custody

As a result of the first phase of Operation Supernova in 2011(see: http://www.justice.gov/usao/cac/pressroom/pr2011/018.html), 11 defendants were convicted and received sentences of up to 25 years in prison. In the second phase of Operation Supernova in 2012 (see: http://www.fbi.gov/losangeles/press-releases/2011/oxnard-gang-members-arrested-on-federal-drug-and-gun-trafficking-charges-in-second-part-of-operation-supernova), six defendants were charged in connection with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegally sell firearms. The total seizure for the three-phase operation totals 18 pounds of Methaphetamine, five kilograms of cocaine, six pounds of heroin and 46 firearms.
The defendants named in the complaint are charged conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and, if they are convicted, each would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and statutory maximum sentences of life in prison.
The defendants arrested today will make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. The federal defendants will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Ventura Police Department; the Oxnard Police Department; and the FBI.
The Ventura Gang Task Force is one of many FBI Safe Streets Task Forces throughout the United States, funded for the purpose of assisting local police in identifying and addressing violent crime in America.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

United States Attorney’s Office: 213-894-6947
FBI: 310-996-3343
Oxnard Police Department: Miguel Lopez: 805-385-7631

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint
DATE/TIME:	Friday, November 22, 2013 7:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M.
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
PREPARED BY:	Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator (805) 385-7749

DETAILS:

On November 22, 2013, between the hours of 7:00 P.M. and 1:00 A.M., officers from the Oxnard Police Department conducted a DUI/Driver’s license checkpoint in the northbound lanes of Oxnard Blvd. north of Second Street.

Officers screened 789 motorists who passed through the checkpoint and conducted four DUI investigations on drivers who had been drinking alcohol and/or using drugs while driving. Of those investigations, one driver was arrested for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, and one driver was arrested for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs and for being in possession of illegal drugs.

Citations were issued to seven drivers for various vehicle code violations. Eight drivers were issued citations for driving without a valid driver’s license, and three vehicles were towed from the checkpoint.

The Oxnard Police Department will continue to conduct DUI enforcement operations this year. These DUI operations are an effort to reduce the number of alcohol related crashes and to make our roadways and community safer. We also remind people that if they see an impaired driver to dial 911. These DUI enforcement operations are funded by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For any questions related to DUI and traffic enforcement, please contact Senior Officer Jamie Brown at (805) 385-7749 or via e-mail at jamie.brown@oxnardpd.org

DATE / TIME PREPARED: 11/23/13, 0205 hours

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release January 3, 2014

Sergeant Brian Woolley, Oxnard Police, 805-385-7847, brian.woolley@oxnardpd.org
Senior Officer Maria Peña, Oxnard Police, 805-385-7750, maria.pena@oxnardpd.org

Winter Holiday AVOID DUI campaign – final update
DUI Arrests Up & Zero DUI Fatalities
The Winter Holiday Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special Avoid the 14 DUI deployments during the past several days in Ventura County.

From 12:01 A.M. Friday December 13, 2013 through midnight New Year’s Day, officers representing Ventura County law enforcement agencies arrested 249 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In 2012, 186 DUI arrests occurred during the 2012 holiday campaign time period.

Fortunately, there were no DUI-related deaths reported during this campaign period.

The Avoid the 14 Taskforce will again deploy DUI operations and patrols during Super Bowl Sunday on February 2, 2014. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint
DATE/TIME:	April 26, 2014 / 2000-0300 Hours
PREPARED BY:	Senior Officer Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Senior Officer Jamie Brown (805) 385-7749 jamie.brown@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS: The Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment with officers checking drivers for proper licensing delaying motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

In 2013, there were 1,519 collisions in Oxnard. 745 of those collisions involved an injury of one or more persons. Also in 2013, there were 149 collisions involving an impaired driver which resulted in 60 injured persons and 1 death.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. Nearly 90 percent of California drivers approve of DUI checkpoints.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to The Oxnard Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.

DATE / TIME PREPARED: April 23, 2014 / 1630 hours

Jeri Williams
Chief of Police

Oxnard Police Department

R. Jason Benites
Assistant Chief

Scott Whitney
Assistant Chief

OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint
DATE/TIME:	May 30, 2014 / 2000-0300 Hours
LOCATION:	City of Oxnard
PREPARED BY:	Senior Officer Jamie Brown, Traffic Coordinator
CONTACT PERSON & CONTACT INFO:	Senior Officer Jamie Brown (805) 385-7749 jamie.brown@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:
The Oxnard Police Department Traffic Unit will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, May 30, 2014 at an undisclosed location within the city limits between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment with officers checking drivers for proper licensing delaying motorists only momentarily. Specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.

Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent. Nearly 90 percent of California drivers approve of DUI checkpoints.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to The Oxnard Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reminding everyone to ‘Report Drunk Driver – Call 9-1-1.