Photo: Firearm and drug evidence collected during arrested | Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
It doesn’t look like the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department West County Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) will ever be sitting around with nothing to do. A reminder of that eternal verity came with the recent arrests of 31-year-old Fillmore resident Eric Martinez and his collaborator in crime, 31-year-old Oxnard resident Doria Ferrer.
Both Martinez and Ferrer, the object of targeted enforcement activities pursuant to their status under Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) with search conditions, were contacted by detectives on the afternoon of May 19.
According to VCSD spokesman Sr. Deputy Matt Smith, upon contact, Ferrer deliberately “hindered and impeded” the detectives from interacting with Martinez, who was discovered in the act of destroying evidence related to narcotics. Subsequently, the detectives conducted a search of Martinez’s person and his residence which lead to the discovery of various items indicating violations of his parole terms, including a loaded 9mm caliber firearm categorized as a “ghost gun” ammunition, and approximately half an ounce of methamphetamine.
Due to Martinez’s status as a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Of particular concern was the fact that the unsecured loaded firearm was found in an area accessible to young children residing in the household. Consequently, the detectives took Martinez into custody and transported him to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on charges of possession of a loaded firearm by a convicted felon, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of an unregistered manufactured firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with a loaded firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia, destruction of evidence, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The detectives also arrested Ferrer for resisting and delaying peace officers, endangering the welfare of a child, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Martinez remains in custody with bail set at $110,000, while Ferrer remains incarcerated with bail set at $20,000.
