Author Archives: News Releases

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Quoc Ly (DOB 02/23/81), of Camarillo, pled guilty to felony auto insurance fraud and also admitted as true a special allegation that he previously sustained a felony conviction for auto insurance fraud.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Julio Martinez Diaz (DOB 07/15/80), of Simi Valley, was charged with the July 21, 2020, murder of Erick Tenorio, also of Simi Valley.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Vu Cong Dao (DOB 03/04/83), of Palmdale, was found to be legally insane at the time he killed his cellmate, Michael Torres, of Oxnard, at the Ventura County Main Jail on October 25, 2018.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that state and local officials reached a comprehensive civil settlement with Crimson Pipeline, L.P. (Crimson), and its contractor CD Lyon Construction, Inc. and CD Lyon, Inc. (collectively CD Lyon), the companies responsible for a June 2016 crude oil spill in Hall Canyon, Ventura. The spill occurred from a crude oil pipeline owned by Crimson following a valve replacement operation and restart of the pipeline.

VENTURA, California –District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Nathaniel Newell Hunnicutt (DOB 9/13/81), pled guilty to one felony count of grand theft.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Caden Crowell (DOB: 11/19/98), of Camarillo, pled guilty to the first-degree murder of David Smith, age 19, of Thousand Oaks. Crowell also admitted personally using a firearm in the commission of the murder.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that on July 9, 2020, Dennis Dean Varadin (DOB 06/07/54), of Oxnard, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, immediately followed by 38 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $133,766.88 to victims of his crimes.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten warned today that county residents should be vigilant when using online listing services to secure rental housing. Such services do not typically verify that the person listing a property for rent is actually authorized to do so. This creates an opportunity for criminals to prey upon unsuspecting victims. These fraudsters seek to exploit housing anxiety amid the COVID-19 pandemic as residents face uncertainty regarding the length of temporary mortgage forbearance accommodations.

VENTURA, California –District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Retha Mae Drummond (DOB 3/1/56), of Moorpark, was sentenced after pleading guilty to five felony counts of misappropriation of public funds.

VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today a warning to the public to be aware of current COVID-19 scams being reported to law enforcement agencies. Other counties are reporting that scammers are posing as contact tracers to obtain personal information and steal money from unknowing victims. While it is important to respond to phone calls, emails or text messages about a potential exposure to COVID-19, be aware that legitimate contact tracers working with Ventura County or with the State of California will never charge a fee for their services nor ask for personal identifying information such as a social security number, bank account, or health insurance policy number.