By Redacción
Redaccion@latinocc.com
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Omar Hernández Ruiz, 38, of Santa Paula, has been formally charged with conspiracy to transport methamphetamine. Hernández Ruiz also faces multiple special allegations and aggravating factors, including committing the crime for the benefit of, under the direction of, and in association with a criminal street gang.
According to the indictment, between September and November 2024, Hernández Ruiz coordinated the transportation of large quantities of drugs from prison through several co-conspirators. On November 14, 2024, one of his alleged collaborators was arrested with more than nine pounds of methamphetamine.
At the time of the alleged events, Hernández Ruiz was incarcerated at California State Prison, Centinela, serving a 156-years-to-life sentence for a 2013 murder in Santa Paula and for assaulting a peace officer.
The indictment states that Hernández Ruiz used his position within the criminal organization to coordinate illicit operations, giving orders and maintaining communication with accomplices outside prison. Authorities note that cases like this demonstrate how some gang leaders continue to operate even behind bars, using external support networks to traffic drugs on a large scale.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Leija, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Major Crimes Gang Unit, is prosecuting the case. According to the office, this process is part of a broader effort to combat gang-related drug trafficking in Southern California.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help to provide additional information about the accused or his alleged accomplices. Authorities requested that anyone with relevant information contact Detective Steve Eckman at (805) 384-4771 or via email at Steve.Eckman@venturacounty.gov, or Detective Jose Torres at (805) 383-8725 or Jose.Torres@venturacounty.gov.
Hernández Ruiz was transported to the Ventura County Jail and appeared in court on August 11, 2025, where he pled not guilty to all charges. His next scheduled court date is August 20, 2025, in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court for an early disposition conference.
Authorities reiterated that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
