OXNARD : Official’s Brother Sentenced in Fraud

The brother of an Oxnard city councilman was sentenced Friday to 120 days in jail and three years probation for swindling Ventura County out of more than $1,800 in welfare and food stamps.

Jesus Herrera, a 27-year-old former eligibility worker for the county Public Social Services Agency, also lost a bid to have his felony welfare fraud conviction reduced to a lesser crime so that he could still vote.

“I can’t reduce this to a misdemeanor,” Superior Court Judge Allan L. Steele said. “That would be to sanction this kind of conduct.”

The judge called the jail term “very magnanimous.”

Herrera, brother of Oxnard City Councilman Andres Herrera, pleaded guilty in September to the single felony charge in exchange for another welfare fraud charge being dismissed.

He admitted his part in a scheme to bilk the county out of welfare and food stamps worth more than $1,800, which was allegedly divided between himself, another brother, Tomas Herrera, and a third man, Juan DeJesus.

According to the probation report, Jesus Herrera told investigators that he knew some of the money he gave to DeJesus was paying for DeJesus’ drug habit.

DeJesus, 28, was sentenced last month to 30 days in jail, to be served after he completes a one-year jail term for an unrelated drug conviction.

Tomas Herrera, 30, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Ventura County Superior Court on charges of conspiracy and grand theft, defense attorney Timothy J. Quinn said, adding that his client will deny the charges.