News Releases

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Zuberi Kalaikulokahiokalani Sharp (DOB 03/26/2000), has been charged with murder and corporal injury to a child. Sharp also faces several special allegations and aggravating factors, including use of a deadly weapon and that the victim was vulnerable.

Sharp made his first court appearance today. No plea was entered, and criminal proceedings were suspended pending a competency hearing. He is scheduled to return to court for a competency hearing on January 2, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara (DOB 07/11/85), was sentenced to 365 days in jail, two years of formal probation, and is required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of ten years. If Martinez-Guevara violates his felony probation, a suspended two-year state prison sentence will be imposed. He previously pled no contest on October 10, 2024, to one felony count of possession of child sexual abuse material and admitted all charged special allegations, including that he possessed over 600 images of child sexual abuse material.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Bruce Boyer (DOB 03/26/61), of Chatsworth, has been charged with four felony counts of perjury for submitting multiple fictitious voter registration applications. Boyer made his first court appearance today and his arraignment was continued to January 17, 2025.

Boyer is accused of submitting four fraudulent voter registration forms to the County Registrar in the months preceding the November 2024 election. Each form was handwritten and attempted to register various fictitious characters to vote. Each fraudulent registration form included Boyer’s home address and was signed under penalty of perjury.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Saul C Nava (DOB 04/30/00), of Thousand Oaks, was sentenced to 50 years and 8 months to life in prison. Nava was previously convicted by a jury of nine felony counts including the first-degree murder and torture of his girlfriend, Alisen Takacs-Escobar, and the torture and kidnapping of a previous girlfriend who survived his abuse.

“The sentence imposed reflects the heinous nature of the defendant’s horrific conduct,” senior prosecutor David Russell said. “While nothing will make the victim’s family whole again, this sentence will protect the community from an offender who tortured and abused vulnerable victims.”

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Angel Martinez (DOB 10/10/1996), of Oxnard, has been charged with seven felony counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one felony count of possession of CSAM with the intent to distribute, and one felony count of possession of CSAM. He pled not guilty at today’s arraignment.

The investigation into Martinez began in July 2024, when members from the District Attorney’s Office Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Unit, who were monitoring a file sharing network, detected CSAM being distributed from an apartment in the City of Oxnard.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Efrain Troncoso (DOB 01/22/02) has been charged for a violent crime spree in Ventura. Troncoso faces a total of 10 felony counts, including three counts of attempted murder, a single count of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery. He is also charged with several special allegations including the infliction of great bodily injury.

Troncoso’s case was set for arraignment on November 26, 2024. No plea was entered, and criminal proceedings were put on hold to determine competency. Troncoso is scheduled to return to court for a mental competency hearing on December 19, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 13 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Jenifer Singh (DOB 11/02/78), formerly of Simi Valley, has been charged with two felony counts of grand theft. On November 20, 2024, a warrant was issued for Singh’s arrest, which remains outstanding at this time.

Based on the investigation, law enforcement believes there are additional unknown victims of Singh’s alleged rental scheme. Anyone with information on Singh’s current location or believes they or someone they know was defrauded by her is encouraged to the Real Estate Fraud Unit at (805) 662-1750.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that David Lane Braff, Jr., 42, of Thousand Oaks, was arrested this morning on charges of molesting eight children at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula. Braff is charged with 17 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old and will be arraigned on those charges Monday, November 25, at 1:30 p.m., in courtroom 13 of Ventura County Superior Court.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Kenneth Shenberger (DOB 12/05/61), of Simi Valley, pled guilty on November 14, 2024, to one felony count of workers’ compensation insurance fraud. He was found guilty by the court.

Shenberger is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Felony insurance fraud is punishable by up to five years in county jail, a fine of up to $50,000 or double the fraud amount (whichever is greater), or both.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Jaylin Edwards (DOB 12/28/96), of Oxnard, was convicted on November 15, 2024, of all charges related to a 2019 shooting that injured two people, including a young girl who was left paralyzed. Edwards was found guilty of attempted murder, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. All charges are felonies. The jury also found true all special allegations, including causing great bodily injury (GBI) and personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing GBI. Edwards also admitted to additional aggravating factors of the crime involving great violence, being armed with and using a weapon, engaging in violent conduct, and that the victims were vulnerable.