by Cindy Summers
Commercial Burglary
On March 27, at approximately 4am, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a call of an alarm activation at Mega Mart check cashing located at 1418 East Main St. Officers arrived on scene and found the business had been burglarized.
Within 15 minutes, a second alarm company called in an alarm at Red Seal Arms located at 102 North Ashwood St. Officers arrived on scene and found the suspect(s) used a vehicle to damage the front door and security gate to gain access to the business.
Officers are working with the business owners to determine what was taken during the two burglaries. During the initial investigation, it has been determined the two burglaries were committed by the same suspect(s).
Child Sexual Abuse Arrest
On March 25, Ventura Police Dispatch received a report of lewd conduct with a child. The parents of a female juvenile victim reported to a patrol officer that Aaron Reid had sexually assaulted their child. Detectives conducted a follow up interview with the child and determined that Reid was an acquaintance of the victim’s family and the offenses occurred in their Ventura home.
Ventura Police Detectives continued their investigation and gathered additional evidence of the crimes. On March 31, Reid was taken into custody in the area of Olive St. and Vineyard Ave in Oxnard. He was arrested and later booked at the Ventura County Jail for lewd conduct with a child under age 14.
Commercial Burglary & Arrest
On April 1, at approximately 3am, officers from Ventura Police Department responded to a silent alarm at the Green Thumb Nursery located at 1899 S. Victoria. Officers arrived on scene and established a perimeter around the business as they waited on the arrival of the K9 unit.
The officers initiated a search once K9 unit arrived on scene, and a suspect was discovered hiding on the property. “Jag” one of VPD’s new police service dogs found the suspect hiding under a stack of pallets. The suspect, 32 year old Oxnard Resident Gerardo Martinez, was apprehended without incident, and booked at the Ventura County Jail on suspicion of commercial burglary.
A second suspect was seen on a surveillance video but he was able to escape undetected.
Sex Offender Compliance Sweep
On April 6, between 8am and 11am, Detectives from the Ventura Police Department Major Crimes Unit and a member of Ventura Police Departments Sex Offender Registration Unit conducted a compliance check for registered Sex Offenders living in the City of Ventura.
During the course of the sweep, 14 residences were checked. Of these, seven were found to be in compliance with their registration requirements and five were not home or had moved. Checks at two other locations resulted in arrests. Raymond Munyon was arrested for a parole violation and being found in possession of pepper spray as a convicted felon. Jason Sani was arrested for a felony warrant which stemmed from a previous investigation involving Sani being a suspect in a sexual assault of a minor.
Detectives will follow up to determine if the remaining sex offenders who were not contacted during the initial check are out of compliance. The Ventura Police department will be conducting similar sweeps on an on-going basis, to verify if registered sex offenders are living at their reported residences and in compliance with any probation or parole terms.
Anyone with additional information about Jason Sani is encouraged to call Det. Hibdon at 339-4443. For more information regarding sex offenders living within the City of Ventura, please visit www.meganslaw.ca.gov.
