Photo: Jose Castanon and gun
Ventura County – According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Victor Medina, the VCSD Gang Unit and the Oxnard Police Department have had a busy few months.
Early this year, the Oxnard community has been plagued with multiple “gang-related” shootings, prompting a concerted law enforcement effort to identify those responsible. During the investigation involving victims “throughout various jurisdictions,” it was determined that the pattern of the suspects’ criminal activity involved “actively hunting” for potential victims.
Castanon’s gun
On March 15th and 17th, deputies with the OPD and VCSD’s Major Crimes Bureau executive search warrants at multiple residential locations throughout the City of Oxnard. Those searches lead to the seizure of multiple firearms, ammunition, and evidence of ongoing illegal gang activity which provided evidence in support of the arrest of five adults and one juvenile, all residents of Oxnard.
Those arrested and transported to Ventura County Jail were 25-year-old Jose Castanon, 20-year-old Sergio Ramos, 19-year-old Manuel Alcala, and 20-year-old Jose Tellez, each of whom was charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide, conspiracy, shooting at occupied buildings, unlawful transfer of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person, carrying a loaded unregistered firearm, and street terrorism. His bail was set at $1,000,000.
Also arrested were a male juvenile who was transported to Ventura County Juvenile Justice Center where he was booked on charges of attempted homicide, conspiracy, and street terrorism.
34-year-old Oxnard resident Gerard Ortiz, who was in the company of the aforementioned suspects, was taken into custody pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant.
Photos: Courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s Department
