by Cindy Summers
Police reports are provided to us by the Ventura Police Department and are not the opinions of the Ventura Breeze. All suspects mentioned are assumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Carjacking, Robbery, Assault with a Firearm, and Conspiracy
On February 22, at approximately 10:45pm, the victim in this case drove his car to the downtown Ventura area meet up with a female acquaintance he met through social media.
The two spent a short amount of time together and then the female contacted an unidentified male to meet up with her and the victim. The three then drove to the area of the hills above Ventura’s City Hall.
After parking, the unidentified male drew a pistol and pointed it at the victim while giving him orders. The suspects robbed the victim of his personal property, struck with the firearm, and ordered him out of the vehicle.
The victim fled toward downtown while the suspects drove away in the victim’s vehicle. The victim located bystanders and asked for help. A bystander called Ventura Police Department was contacted and officers responded.
Officers located the victim vehicle unoccupied in the area of Howard Street and Thompson Blvd at approximately 9:30am on February 23. At that time, Officers were responding to the area of Weber circle in Ventura for an armed robbery with a gun that just occurred. Officers arrived on scene and searched for the suspects but were unable to locate them.
The suspect description in the robbery matched the description given by the victims during the carjacking the night before. Detectives responded to assist in the investigation. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the suspects’ residence and attempted to serve the warrant with patrol officers at the Weber address. The suspects, 18-year-old Ventura resident Brisa Sotello Torres and 18 year old Ventura resident Joe Rodriguez, refused to come out of the residence and the Ventura Police SWAT team was activated.
After lengthy negotiations with the VPD Crisis Negotiations Team both suspects surrendered without incident.
Torres was booked at the Ventura County Jail for Carjacking, Armed Robbery, Assault with a deadly weapon, and Conspiracy to commit a crime.
Rodriguez was booked at the Ventura County Jail for Armed Robbery, Assault with a deadly weapon, and Conspiracy to commit a crime.
Possession for Sales of a Controlled Substance
On February 25 at 2:45pm, the Ventura Police Department Command Center received a 911 call of a possible residential burglary in progress at a residence in the 700 block of Temple St. The victim resident was not home at the time, but reported seeing a subject, later identified as 27 year old Ventura resident Christopher Diaz, on a security camera in the backyard of the residence. Diaz was a relative of the homeowner, but did not did not have permission to be on the property. Officers responded to call and detained Diaz as he tried hiding from officers in the backyard.
Using a Ventura Police K-9, officers searched Diaz’s vehicle, which was parked to the front of the residence. The K-9, Bolt, altered to narcotics being inside. During a search of the vehicle’s interior, officers located a large quantity of methamphetamine, heroin, and oxycodone. It was determined Diaz was in possession of the narcotics for the purposes of sales.
Diaz was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sales. He was not charged for prowling at the residence.
A review of the Ventura County Superior Court website shows that Diaz has an open case for an arrest on 02/19/19, for the charges of possession for sale of a controlled substance. He is currently out on bail for that arrest. Additionally, it showed Diaz has a prior conviction in 2017 and 2016 for possession of a controlled substance and for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Domestic Dispute, Assault with a Deadly Weapon
On February 28, at approximately 8:15pm, Ventura Police Patrol officers responded to a call of a physical domestic disturbance in the parking lot of Tommy Burgers. As officers were responding to the call, they were given additional information that the suspect, 44-year-old Andrew Chavez, used his vehicle to back up into the victim purposefully. When officers arrived, they contacted the victim and learned that Chavez had left the scene.
Continuing the investigation officers went to Chavez’s home located in Oxnard to contact him. As they were arriving at his home, they saw Chavez driving away from his home. The officers turned around and caught up to Chavez and attempted to make a traffic stop on him. Chavez refused to stop, and a pursuit was started. After a short pursuit, Chavez pulled over in the parking lot of the gas station located at 2201 Gonzalez Rd.
As the officers were contacting Chavez to take him into custody, he began to resist them, and there was a brief struggle. During the struggle, Chavez received minor scratches to his forehead.
The victim refused medical treatment on scene, and no officers were injured during the arrest. Chavez was arrested for felony Domestic Violence, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon as well as misdemeanor evading and resisting arrest.
Arrest for Transportation and Sales of Methamphetamine and Heroin
The Ventura Police Department Street Crimes Unit concluded an ongoing investigation on 49-year-old Ventura resident Ernesto Macias for sales of both methamphetamine and heroin in Ventura. On March 8 at 12pm, detectives stopped Macias while driving in the area of Ralston St and Johnson Dr. During the traffic stop detectives located about an ounce of heroin packaged for sales and cash from recent narcotic sales. Detectives served search warrants on Macias’ home and his vehicles and located more illegal drugs and evidence. It was discovered that the heroin Macias was selling is laced with fentanyl, a very potent synthetic opiate which has been responsible for a significant amount of drug overdoses in Ventura County.
At the conclusion of the investigation, detectives seized over a pound of methamphetamine and half a pound of fentanyl laced heroin along with thousands of dollars in proceeds from narcotic sales. It was discovered Macias has been selling drugs throughout Ventura County. Macias was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and heroin for sales and transportation of narcotics for sales. He was booked at the Ventura County Jail.
Arrest for Transportation and Sales of Methamphetamine
Ventura Police Department Patrol officer conducted a traffic stop in the 6000 block of Bristol Rd. During the investigation, VPD K9 “Jag” was used for a search for contraband and he alerted on the vehicle. During a search officers located over 6 pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of dollars in proceeds from illegal drug sales.
The suspect, 33-year-old Cesar Herrera, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine for sales and transportation. He was booked at the Ventura County Jail.
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by Pam Baumgardner
