Notable Cases

Brenda and Dennis Willingham operated both Sunshine Fresh Produce, a strawberry brokering business, and Willingham Farms, a strawberry farming business, in the city of Oxnard.

Diaz, who had three prior convictions for robbery, molested a 13-year-old girl over a one and a half year period. In 1996, this case became the first "Three Strikes" filed in Ventura County.

Dubbed the "Ojai Rapist," Kevin Malone entered the homes of various women in Ojai between December 1993 and September 1994. The defendant would enter a victim's home, tie the victim up, and then proceed to rape and orally copulate them.

On January 26, 1992, Genoveva Gonzalez was kidnapped by the defendant and two other individuals. Following the kidnapping, she was savagely raped and then shot three times in the face at point blank range. Her body was left in an Oxnard drainage ditch.

Frank Cockrell and Wayne Fleischer orchestrated a securities fraud scam based on Cockrell's claimed net worth of $225 million which was predicated on worthless oil and gas royalties.

The $100,000 settlement is comprised of civil penalties and cost recovery to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division (VCEHD) and the District Attorney's Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit (CEPU). This case was investigated by both agencies, which determined 4JR engaged in a pattern of significant violations under the law.

A June 2016 spill occurred from a crude oil pipeline owned by Crimson following a valve replacement operation and restart of the pipeline. New valve flanges were not properly tightened by Crimson’s contractor, CD Lyon, which caused the release of more than 44,000 gallons of crude oil, damaged local natural resources, and required a comprehensive cleanup and investigation effort.

After his guilty plea, Gonzalez was immediately sentenced by Judge David Hirsch to 30 days in the Ventura County Jail, 30 days in a work release program, and 240 hours of community service at an animal shelter. He was also placed on three years of summary probation and ordered to pay restitution.

Between June 2016 and December 9, 2016, Arcturus negligently disposed of, or caused the disposal of, hazardous waste at unauthorized locations: the Del Norte Recycling Center located at 111 S. Del Norte Boulevard, Oxnard; and Gold Coast Recycling & Transfer Station located at 5275 Colt Street and Sperry Avenue, Ventura.

The settlement resolves allegations that the Anterra Companies violated state laws regarding their transportation, handling, and disposal of oilfield waste. The complaint alleges that although the Anterra Companies were allowed by the California Department of Conservation, Department of Oil, Gas & Geothermal Resources to receive and dispose of non-hazardous "Class II" material produced from other oil or gas wells, they were not allowed to receive Class II material that was hazardous.