Organized Retail Theft Defendants Charged Following Blitz Operation

By Redaccion
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District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that eight individuals have been charged with a variety of theft-related crimes after the successful Blitz Operation conducted by the Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force.

The Blitz Operation was a coordinated saturation of law enforcement personnel and resources to stop retail theft. In this case, the task force focused its efforts on the Camarillo Premium Outlets over a three-day period earlier this month. While eight people have been charged, cases against eight additional suspects remain under investigation. Two juveniles who were arrested during the Blitz Operation were cited and released.

Working closely with law enforcement partners, an investigator from the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation participated in the Blitz Operation. The following cases were filed by the organized retail theft prosecutor, Senior Deputy District Attorney Brandon Ross.

Jorge Pacheco (DOB 10/09/05), and Rachael Antonia Ibarra Matus (DOB 12/27/04), both of Los Angeles, are charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit petty theft arising out of their actions at the Calvin Klein store on May 31, 2024. They are also charged with the special allegation that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicated planning, sophistication, or professionalism. Pacheco is also charged with shoplifting from the Michael Kors store and having a counterfeit foreign government seal, both misdemeanors. Pacheco and Ibarra Matus pled not guilty at their June 14, 2024, arraignment and are scheduled for an early disposition conference on July 24, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

Carlos Sanchez (DOB 09/02/98), of Oxnard, is charged with felony grand theft at the North Face store, possession of burglar’s tools, and illegal possession of fireworks on June 1, 2024. Sanchez is also charged with the special allegation that the crime involved a large quantity of contraband. He failed to appear in court for his arraignment on June 14, 2024, and an $80,000 bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Christian Mosqueda (DOB 12/20/96), and Carlos Medina (DOB 10/13/99), both of Los Angeles, have each been charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit petty theft. They are also charged with the special allegations that the manner in which the crime was carried out indicates planning, sophistication, or professionalism, and that they persuaded a minor to join them when they allegedly stole from the Nike store on June 1, 2024. They pled not guilty at their arraignment on June 4, 2024.

Alyona Khachatryan (DOB 06/04/96), and Mikayel Ivanyan (DOB 05/21/80), both of Van Nuys, are each charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit petty theft and three misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property under $950. They are also charged with the special allegation that the manner in which the crimes were carried out indicated planning, sophistication, or professionalism. They are accused of stealing merchandise from five stores at the Camarillo Premium Outlets: Puma, Calvin Klein, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, and Levi’s. Both pled not guilty at their arraignment on June 4, 2024, and are scheduled for an early disposition conference on July 30, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 11 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

Jhovani Romano (DOB 10/31/92), of Oxnard, was also arrested during the Blitz Operation. On June 6, 2024, he pled no contest to three charges: misdemeanor shoplifting from the Under Armour store on June 2, 2024, and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance. Romano spent four days in custody and was released on probation.

The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force was formed after the Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office were awarded grant funding under the California Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program. The District Attorney’s Office grant helps fund a prosecutor, investigator, and other resources to tackle organized retail theft.

Overseen by the Sheriff’s Office, the task force works to prevent and combat the estimated $10 million yearly loss, in Ventura County, from organized retail theft, vehicle and vehicle parts theft, as well as cargo theft. The Task Force aims to provide a safe retail shopping experience for everyone while working together with retailers, law enforcement agencies, and the public to identify, locate, and arrest criminals involved in these types of crimes.