The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that Jose Santos Villalobos (DOB 04/13/91), of Oxnard, was convicted by a jury on January 8, 2026, for attempting to steal his child with forged legal documents. Villalobos was found guilty of felony attempted child abduction, filing false or forged documents, forgery, and misdemeanor disobeying a domestic relations court order. Following the verdict, the court found true the aggravating factor that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism.

“This case involved a calculated effort to deceive law enforcement and our office by fabricating judicial authority,” Deputy District Attorney Cesar Ponce said. “The verdict makes clear that such conduct will not be tolerated, especially when a child’s safety is at stake.”

A new set of public safety laws strongly supported by Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko have taken effect in 2026, strengthening penalties for looting and the impersonation of emergency personnel during declared emergencies.

“Ventura County is no stranger to disaster, and our residents know firsthand how devastating these events can be,” said District Attorney Nasarenko. “When families are evacuating from a dangerous fire and first responders are risking their lives, we can’t have criminals exploiting the chaos and devastation. These new laws will allow us to crack down on looters and criminal impersonators.”

Governor Gavin Newsom signed companion legislation in Assembly Bill 468 and Senate Bill 571 into law in October. AB 468, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, strengthens penalties for looting during declared emergencies and extends protections into the recovery and rebuilding phase following disasters. SB 571 reinforces penalties for individuals who impersonate firefighters, law enforcement officers, or other officials during emergencies.

The Los Angeles Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation formally recognized 14 members of the Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their outstanding investigative work protecting children and holding offenders accountable. The ceremony was held at the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on January 6, 2026. The honorees included investigators, detectives, and computer forensic examiners from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

The task force was created in December 2022 through agreements with the FBI and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. The collaboration was established in response to the significant increase in children being exposed to online predators and sexual exploitation.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that       Jose Trinidad Bueno Garcia (DOB 02/11/75), of Van Nuys, pled guilty on December 17, 2025, to leading a large-scale drug trafficking operation responsible for distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout Ventura County. Garcia pled guilty to conspiracy to possess fentanyl for sale. He also admitted that the offense involved more than four kilograms of fentanyl, triggering a significant weight enhancement.

Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on January 21, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He is expected to be sentenced to 15 years in state prison. Thirteen years of Garcia’s anticipated sentence are attributable to enhancements authorized under Proposition 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act. Prior to the passage of Proposition 36, offenders responsible for trafficking this volume of drugs would not have faced the increased penalties associated with weight enhancements.