Photo: Stock Image
On the afternoon of June 9, 2024, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department deputies attached to the Fillmore Patrol Station responded to a mid-afternoon theft report from a local avocado ranch on Telegraph Road. The call led to the arrest of four men who may have simply been hankering for some fresh guacamole but were nevertheless suspected of agricultural grand theft.
The incident began when the ranch proprietor spotted the unauthorized individuals on his property, whereupon he dialed 911. VCSD patrol units quickly responded to the scene and observed the suspect vehicle speeding away from the area, prompting an enforcement stop. Contact was made with four residents of Norwalk: David Melchor, 18, Jesus Pozos, 23, Valentin Pozos, 33, and Epifania Pozos, 37, all of whom were taken into custody.
A search of their vehicle led to the discover of “hundreds of pounds of avocados” according to VCSD spokesman Sgt. Jarrod Foote. The suspects were transported to Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility where they were booked on charges of grand theft, criminal conspiracy, and trespassing.
