Water Board Member Sentenced for Felony Grand Theft of Water
By Redaccion
[email protected]
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Daniel Naumann (DOB 12/24/57), of Camarillo, was sentenced to 30 days in Ventura County Jail, two years formal probation, and ordered to pay restitution. Prior to today’s sentencing, Naumann paid $30,000 in restitution for stealing water for his own agricultural use. Naumann previously pled guilty on March 29, 2024, to one felony count of grand theft of water.
Naumann owns and operates Naumann Family Farms, in Oxnard, and was a publicly-elected board member of the United Water Conservation District (United) at the time of the theft. He has also previously served as an alternate board member of the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency (Fox Canyon). Naumann resigned from United before today’s sentencing.
United and Fox Canyon manage and preserve groundwater resources for agricultural uses in Ventura County. Both entities establish water allocations and charge agricultural user fees to pump groundwater.
Investigators from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office discovered diversion bypasses were installed on two commercial water pumps that irrigated Naumann’s crops. The bypasses diverted pumped water to irrigation lines before the water reached flow meters that measured water use for billing purposes. Between 2019 and 2021, Naumann pumped $29,301 of groundwater without paying the required fees to Fox Canyon.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Public Integrity Unit, prosecuted the case.
“While serving as an elected member of a water board responsible for preserving groundwater in Ventura County, the defendant stole groundwater for his own agricultural uses,” Mr. Wold said. “Faced with the sophisticated, comprehensive investigation conducted by the Major Crimes Bureau of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the defendant accepted responsibility and was held accountable for his actions.”
Naumann was released on probation and ordered to begin serving his jail sentence on June 17, 2024.
Case: 2023020834
Defendant Information:
Daniel Conklin Naumann (DOB 12/24/57)
Camarillo
Pled Guilty to:
- PC 487(a) – Grand theft
