Photo: Image of weapons collected during arrest | Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
Once they’ve served their time in state prison, felons are released and returned to society where they may pursue the activities of any normal, law-abiding citizen…if, in fact, they do that and don’t violate the terms of their release. Even for those who enjoy the benefits of “early release” and then conduct themselves in accordance with the parole guidelines dictated by the California Department of Corrections, in many respects they will forever live with the reality that “once a felon, always a felon.”
One of those eternal realities is a legislated prohibition against former felons possessing or being around firearms and ammunition. History shows that the violation of that law continues to be a frequent cause for the re-arrest and further incarceration of those who would flout it.
Joining that legion of felons facing additional prison time for the possession of firearms is 33-year-old Oxnard resident Pedro Tello, who was the subject of an investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department West County Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) during February and March, 2024. According to VCSD spokesman Sgt. Beau Rodriguez, SEU detectives obtained a search warrant for Tello’s business and his residence, pursuant to information they had gathered indicating he was in violation of his parole terms and had prohibited weapons at hand.
Detectives served their search warrants on the afternoon of March 4 th , at which time they “attempted to detain Tello.” Tello, however, failed to cooperate with the cops and fled from them, “hiding inside the business before being apprehended after a brief struggle.” Inside the business, detectives found a loaded “unregistered semi-automatic handgun” as well as “narcotics smoking paraphernalia” and a controlled substance.
Tello was taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail, where he was booked on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, and resisting a peace officer. He remains in custody with his bail set at $130,000.
