Roundup: Man charged with felony after allegedly grabbing teen, more local news
Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
Authorities investigate graffiti at school
THIOUSAND OAKS — The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help with information about a recent graffiti incident at a Thousand Oaks school.
Red spray paint was used on the outer wall in front of Maple Elementary School at 3501 Kimber Drive sometime between Thursday and Friday, authorities said. The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in Thousand Oaks.
Detective Kevin Walters on Wednesday declined to say whether the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime or whether the vandalism amounted to a possible misdemeanor or felony violation.
The graffiti prompted a statement from Mark McLaughlin, superintendent of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, who described the vandalism as "hateful speech" and noted that "teachers have a legal obligation to create inclusive environments for all students."
Anyone with information is asked to call Walters at 805-494-8226.
Man charged with lewd act
VENTURA — A Ventura man has been charged with a felony count of lewd act on a child in connection with an alleged incident last month involving a 14-year-old girl.
Ashley Lynn Claxton, 26, pleaded not guilty on May 27 to the felony charge, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
The girl had been walking home from school near Hill Street and Telephone Road, east of Victoria Avenue, on May 21 when Claxton allegedly walked next to her and grabbed her buttocks, according to the Ventura Police Department. The teen fled and told her parents when she got home, police said, and her father went to the area looking for the man. Claxton was arrested a few days later.
Anyone with more information or other possible victims are asked to call Ventura Police Detective Jorge Rodriguez at 805-339-4443.
Panga boat located
VENTURA COUNTY — A recreational boat believed to be part of a human smuggling operation was found Wednesday morning at Point Mugu Beach, authorities said.
Shortly after 7:40 a.m., a passerby reported an abandoned pleasure craft near Mugu Rock, said Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Darin Hendren.
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Authorities found 10 life vests and empty fuel tanks on board. Based on those items, Hendren said, the boat was used for a human smuggling operation.
Local authorities more commonly find simple open-top panga boats used in suspected human and drug smuggling operations, although one of two abandoned boats found last month was also a pleasure craft.
No further information was available Wednesday. The Department of Homeland Security and California State Parks officials will continue the investigation, Hendren said.
Alleged theft crew arrested at Target
THOUSAND OAKS — Ventura County Sheriff's detectives arrested three suspected members of a South American Theft Group accused stealing a Target shopper's wallet and using the victim's credit cards at another area Target store last week.
A woman shopping at the Newbury Park Target store at 2705 Teller Road on May 26 reported her wallet was stolen from her purse. Sheriff's investigators soon reviewed video surveillance and identified the three suspects as well as a sedan in the parking lot. The sheriff's office is contracted to provide police services in Thousand Oaks.
The sedan was found at a Target store in Westlake Village, east of the Ventura County line. Soon after, the victim received electronic notifications that her cards were being used fraudulently. Investigators saw the three suspects return to the sedan and took them into custody. The victim's wallet and credit cards were found in a trash container near where the three were arrested, officials said.
The three suspects, all from Chile, were subsequently charged by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Lorena Andreasoto Espinoza, 46, Esmeralda Margita Lozano, 29, and Javier Andres Zenteno Valdebenito, 31, were all charged with felony conspiracy. Lozano and Zenteno Valdebenito were also charged with felony forgery.
All three pleaded not guilty on Tuesday during arraignment in Ventura County Superior Court. They remained in Ventura County jail facilities as of Wednesday with bail set at $250,000 each. Their next court dates are scheduled for June 9 and 13.
Ventura County has experienced an increase this year in both home burglaries and thefts of wallets at big-box stores by alleged members of the South American Theft Groups, most from Chile, officials have said.
Cytlalli Salgado is a breaking news reporter for the Ventura County Star. She can be reached by calling 805-437-0257 or emailing cytlalli.salgado@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Man who allegedly grabbed teen charged with felony, more news
