Historical Cases
Former School Counselor Held to Answer on All Charges in Child Molestation Case Involving 15 Victims
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that David Lane Braff Jr. (DOB 05/28/82), of Thousand Oaks, has been held to answer on all charges following a preliminary hearing in Ventura County Superior Court. The judge found sufficient evidence for Braff to stand trial on 33 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, ...
Oxnard Man Charged with Murder for 2014 Park Stabbing
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on April 6, 2026, that Jose Antonio Jimenez (DOB 01/08/94), of Oxnard, has been charged with murder for the 2014 killing of Labh Nigah. Jimenez made an appearance in court and had his arraignment continued to April 28, 2026.
“This was an ambush and a brutal crime committed in ...
Oxnard Man Charged with Murder for Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Rodney Rey Yanez (DOB 03/11/69), of Oxnard, has been charged with the second-degree murder of Dylan Rusch. This marks the first time the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has filed murder charges against a defendant who knowingly sold the deadly synthetic drug, fentanyl, to a victim who overdosed ...
2013 People v. Kenneth Powell, Katie Rose, and Paul Lascola
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted one of the largest real estate investment fraud schemes uncovered in the county involving victim losses exceeding $3 million.
2012 People v. Calvin Sharp
In August 2007, Calvin Sharp chased down, attacked, and brutally killed a 6-year-old boy, Sev'n Molina, with a meat cleaver. When Sev'n's mother, Sandra Ruiz, tried to stop the attack, Sharp attacked her as well, causing major life-long injuries. A neighbor, Diane Cox, also attempted to intervene and suffered serious injuries at the hands of Sharp.
Environmental Crimes
Verizon to Pay $7.7 Million in Statewide Environmental Settlement
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Verizon Wireless will pay $7.7 million to resolve a statewide civil enforcement action involving environmental violations at hundreds of the company’s wireless telecommunication cell towers across Southern California.
Beginning in January 2019, violations occurred at numerous Verizon cell towers where hazardous materials and above ground petroleum storage ...
Sanctuary Ordered to Pay Penalties for Housing Exotic Animals Without Permit
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that the Ventura County Superior Court has approved a stipulated judgment resolving violations committed by Born to Be Free, Inc., an animal sanctuary operating in Frazier Park, for the unpermitted possession of multiple restricted species. The judgment imposes a permanent injunction, civil penalties, and reimbursement of investigative ...
Settlement Reached in Unlawful Propane Disposal at Oxnard Recycling Center
An investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has determined that a hazardous propane release at the City of Oxnard Del Norte Regional Recycling and Transfer Station originated from an improperly disposed tank by ModVans Inc., a manufacturer of recreational vehicles.
“This incident serves as a reminder that improper disposal of hazardous materials can put ...
Investigation Uncovers Illegal Petroleum Discharge into Grimes Canyon Creek
An investigation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has determined that a petroleum-contaminated wastewater discharge into Grimes Canyon Creek originated from a vacuum truck operated by a temporary employee of Advanced Industrial Services, Inc. (AIS).
Evidence showed that between 4:00 a.m. and 4:49 a.m., the driver ...
Settlement Reached in Illegal Disposal of Toxic Substance into Ventura Harbor
On April 21, 2023, the Ventura County District Attorney and Silver Bay Seafoods entered a stipulated Final Judgment resolving a civil prosecution relating to the company’s 2021 and 2022 releases of stick water. Stick water is squid ink wastewater which is lethal to fish and marine life due to its high concentration of ammonia. Under ...