OXNARD : New Charges Filed in Welfare Fraud Case

Prosecutors Monday charged a brother of an Oxnard city councilman with two additional counts in a felony case in which he had already been accused of helping to cheat Ventura County out of more than $1,800 in welfare benefits.

Tomas Herrera, 30, had been charged with accessory to fraud and perjury. Deputy Dist. Atty. Mandee Sanderson added charges of welfare fraud and conspiracy Monday.

Tomas Herrera, who pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, is a brother of Councilman Andres Herrera, who was not involved in the alleged scheme.

A second brother of the councilman, Jesus Herrera, was sentenced Friday to 120 days in jail and three years’ probation in the case.

Prosecutors said Jesus Herrera, who worked as an eligibility employee for the county Public Social Services Agency, wrongly assigned Tomas Herrera the same case number as another welfare recipient.

Jesus Herrera, 27, then approved $859 in welfare payments to Tomas Herrera, even though he wasn’t eligible for them, prosecutors said.

Sanderson said the two new charges were filed Monday after evidence surfaced during a preliminary hearing that Tomas Herrera had agreed to pick up the check that he is accused of receiving.

A third man in the case has admitted to receiving illegal benefits, which also included food stamps. The man, Juan DeJesus, 28, was sentenced last month to 30 days in jail.

Judge Allan Steele set a jury trial for Tomas Herrera for Jan. 31.