News Releases

On April 20, 2023, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced that Austin Allen Eis (DOB 05/29/98), of Camarillo, has been charged with the murder of 15-year-old Wesley W. of Thousand Oaks. Eis has also been charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, use of pepper spray, second-degree commercial burglary, first-degree residential burglary, false imprisonment by violence and three misdemeanor counts of brandishing a knife. He is also facing several special allegations, including three counts of causing great bodily injury.

On April 18, 2023, Eis is accused of committing a crime spree throughout Ventura County. Eis is alleged to have entered a Simi Valley Walmart, where he used pepper spray and stabbed one employee, physically assaulted and attempted to drag a second employee and lunged at two additional employees with a knife. After leaving Walmart, Eis is alleged to have fled to a residence in Camarillo and forced his way inside of the home. Eis left Camarillo and is alleged to have driven his vehicle to Thousand Oaks where he intentionally targeted and struck high school students waiting at the bus stop outside of Westlake High School. Wesley W. was one of four students hit by the vehicle driven by Eis.

“Several innocent victims were injured, and a 15-year-old high school student lost his life as a result of this horrendous and senseless series of crimes,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. “Our county collectively mourns this tragic loss of life and the injuries that have been suffered, and our office will continue to pursue justice and accountability on behalf of the victims and their families.”

Victim Advocates from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office assisted at several scenes and Ventura County hospitals, providing counseling, services, and support. If you find yourself affected by this incident and need local resources, please contact the Ventura County Family Justice Center at (805) 947-7981 or (805) 652-7655.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Amber Lee, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Homicide Unit, is the prosecutor assigned to the case.

Eis appeared in court this afternoon and, through his attorney, continued the arraignment to May 19, 2023, at 1:30 pm in courtroom 13. He is being held in custody without bail.

On April 19, 2023, Jason Armenta (DOB 03/06/01), of Oxnard, was sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 50 years to life in prison. Armenta had previously been convicted by a jury on April 26, 2022, of the first-degree murder of Cristobal Gonzalez, a rival gang member. The jury also found Armenta guilty of attempted murder of a second victim, that Armenta personally used a firearm in the commission of the crimes, and that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

On April 4, 2021, Armenta drove multiple times into a residential neighborhood in south Oxnard, looking for rival gang members and eventually parked and exited his car. Armenta then ran toward a playground area where Mr. Gonzalez was standing and fired numerous rounds from a semi-automatic handgun at Mr. Gonzalez and a second victim. Mr. Gonzalez was struck once in the head and died hours later. The other victim was not struck.

The murder of Cristobal Gonzalez and the attempted murder of the second victim was investigated by the Oxnard Police Department. Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Suttner prosecuted the case.

“Gang violence harms our community,” Suttner said. “Armenta’s conduct killed one person but put the lives of an entire residential neighborhood in danger. We will continue to fully prosecute these crimes to help keep our communities safe.”

On April 13, 2023, Javontay Bess (DOB 03/26/96), of Fresno, pled guilty in Ventura County Superior Court to felony human trafficking, by causing a minor to engage in a commercial sex act. He also admitted to the special allegation of committing the crime while on probation or parole.

In May 2019, an alert citizen called the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office to report suspicious circumstances and possible sex trafficking at a Camarillo motel. Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives initiated an investigation into the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old victim. Both the minor victim as well as the suspect were from outside Ventura County. Detectives ultimately determined that Bess used online advertising to arrange commercial sex acts with the 16-year-old victim at Ventura County motels.

Bess is currently serving a prison sentence in Kern County after being convicted of multiple felonies including assault with a firearm, assault on a peace officer and child endangerment. He is scheduled for sentencing in Ventura County on May 22, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12.

Deputy District Attorney Rikole Kelly, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Human Trafficking Unit, prosecuted the case.

“Human beings are not for sale, and particularly not children,” Kelly said. “Sexual exploitation is human trafficking, and it will not be tolerated in Ventura County. The case against Javontay Bess marks a victory in the fight against human trafficking and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these crimes.”

Deputy District Attorney Kelly is also a member of the Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force (VCHTTF), which was established in 2019. Co-led by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Interface Children & Family Services, the task force works to prevent, identify, investigate, disrupt and prosecute human trafficking crimes in our community. In addition to holding perpetrators accountable, VCHTTF provides services and resources to victims, spreads community awareness and compiles county-level data and statistics.

Sex trafficking is not a victimless crime. Victims are often young girls and they are typically controlled through force or fear. Combating this problem is a top priority within the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. Community members are urged to become more aware of the pervasive problem of human trafficking and to call 911 to report suspicious activity.

On April 7, 2023, Karapet Gasparyan (DOB 06/23/81), and Grigor Gasparyan (DOB 09/07/01), both of North Hollywood, were sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 300 days in Ventura County Jail and two years felony probation. The judge also imposed a four-year state prison suspended sentence on both men. The Gasparyans previously pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit a crime and three counts of grand theft. The guilty pleas included special allegations, including committing two or more related felonies resulting in a loss of more than $100,000.

On August 6, 2020, a witness called 911 to report suspicious activity at a Bank of America ATM in Thousand Oaks. Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies responded and conducted a traffic stop. Karapet Gasparyan and Grigor Gasparyan were found to have 200 fraudulent Employment Development Department (EDD) unemployment insurance cards and more than $168,000 cash inside the vehicle. Further investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the EDD and Bank of America revealed the Gasparyans had obtained an additional $199,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from ATM withdrawals at locations in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties between July 2020 and August 2020.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Fraud and Technology Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case. Full restitution of $367,000 was recovered from the Gasparyans.

“During COVID, organized groups participated in one of the biggest frauds ever perpetrated against the People of California,” said prosecutor Wise referring to EDD fraud. “Holding all participants accountable for unemployment insurance fraud is crucial to deterring the next big fraud.”

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is warning the public about deceptive letters recently sent to residents. The letters threaten property owners with potential asset levies and/or property seizure. The letters attempt to create a sense of urgency and they include an (800) number to call. Examples of these deceptive correspondence letters are attached to this news release.

Ventura County property owners are reminded that if they have a question on the status of their property taxes, they should contact the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office. Legitimate letters from the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector will have a local address and a local telephone number. Residents may call the Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector at (805) 654-3744 or send an email to helpinghand@ventura.org.

If taxpayers have a question on the status of their state or federal tax liability, they should contact the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or their tax professional. “Unsolicited materials received in the mail are often marketing materials deceptively designed to cause the property owner to become concerned and call the number listed on the mailer,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Dominic Kardum.

In addition to deceptive mail solicitors, county residents are urged to be aware of scammers that seek victims through text messages, emails, and phone calls. These scammers use similar tactics:
• They often pretend to be government officials or legitimate businesses.
• They create a sense of urgency to get victims to respond quickly.
• They often demand immediate payment.
• They demand payment with pre-paid cards.
• They ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
• They threaten arrest if immediate payment isn’t made.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has several specialized units that investigate fraud. When appropriate, the Consumer Protection Unit will investigate consumer complaints. Any inquiries or referrals about potential violations of consumer laws can be made by calling (805) 662-1750.

On April 4, 2023, Randall Graham (DOB 03/07/78), of Goleta, pled guilty in Ventura County Superior Court to making criminal threats against the Conejo Valley Unified School District. Graham also admitted the special allegation of threatening great bodily harm.

The threats against Conejo Unified were made on October 13, 2022. Graham, upset with school district policies, called the district office and left two voicemails threatening to kill the superintendent and others in the superintendent’s office. He was arrested on October 15, 2022, by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office after an investigation by the Thousand Oaks Police Department.

Deputy District Attorney Brandon Yeaton, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Serious and Violent Felonies unit, prosecuted the case.

Graham is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is working to raise awareness about sexual violence.

Sexual assault is a pervasive and deeply harmful crime that affects individuals and communities across our country. In fact, every 68 seconds someone is the United States is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

“In Ventura County, we are fortunate to have the Family Justice Center that can be a resource for victims of sexual assault,” said Victim and Community Services Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Jump. “The Ventura County Family Justice Center is staffed by District Attorney victim advocates, partners like Coalition for Family Harmony, Interface Children & Family Services, Ventura County Health Care Agency and many other governmental and nonprofit partners. The Family Justice Center assists victims of sexual assault with a free medical exam, assistance obtaining a restraining order, updates about the status of an investigation and accessing other local and state resources to help survivors recover and heal.”

The Ventura County Family Justice Center (VCFJC) brings together the services of multiple community agencies to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder and dependent adult abuse, human trafficking and hate crimes. The purpose of the center is to help save lives, reduce trauma, and empower survivors as they recover, heal, and break the cycle of abuse.

For more information, victims of sexual assault can reach the VCFJC at (805) 652-7655 or visit the center at 3170 Loma Vista Road in Ventura. The VCFJC sees clients on a first come, first served basis and is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please visit www.vcfjc.org if you or someone you know has suffered a sexual assault.

The Ventura County Family Justice Center and District Attorney’s Office social media accounts will share educational information and resources throughout the month. For more information about Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the efforts to end sexual violence please visit nsvrc.org.

VENTURA, Calif. – On April 3, 2023, Raymond Giral (DOB 04/21/67) was sentenced in Ventura County Superior Court to 12 years prison. Giral had previously been convicted by a Ventura County jury on March 3, 2023, of four counts of a lewd act upon a child. The convictions included aggravating circumstances that the victim was particularly vulnerable and that Giral took advantage of a position of trust. The jury also found true the special allegation that Giral had substantial sexual conduct with the victim.

The crimes occurred at multiple locations in Ventura County between 2007 and 2012. The victim came forward in 2018 after learning that Giral had been arrested for a separate sex crime in Colorado. Giral is currently serving an eight-year prison term in Colorado.

Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Moreno, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit, prosecuted the case.

“I am proud of the victim for having the courage to confront her abuser and tell her story at trial,” said Moreno. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that child sexual abusers will not go unpunished in Ventura County.”

On March 24, 2023, a Ventura County jury convicted Jesus Zavala Castaneda (DOB 05/24/60), of Oxnard, on two counts of lewd touching of a minor under 14 years old. The jury also found all aggravating factors related to each count to be true.

Castaneda sexually exploited an underage family member between 2018 and 2019. The conduct stopped in June 2019 when the 13-year-old victim reported the abuse. Following a two-week trial that included courageous testimony from the victim, her peers, her mother, as well as a senior detective, teacher, and expert on child abuse, a jury convicted Castaneda of two felony violations.

“I was struck by the courage of the victim and the strength of her mother,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Edward Andrews, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Sexual Assault Unit. “For adolescents reporting sexual abuse, good parental support is the most vital tool for navigating the shame and blame an offender can leave behind.”

Castaneda will be sentenced on April 24, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 46 of the Ventura County Superior Court.