74 Are Arrested in Warrant Sweep

A two-week warrant sweep in Ventura County has resulted in the arrest of 74 people on a variety of outstanding charges, including assault with a deadly weapon and felony drug possession, authorities said.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, along with the district attorney’s office and the Port Hueneme Police Department, conducted the sweep from Dec. 9 to 21, serving 161 felony and misdemeanor warrants, according to Sheriff’s Capt. Geoff Dean.

Bail on the warrants involved totaled more than $920,000, Dean said. Judges assign bail amounts depending on the severity of each warrant: The more severe the crime, the higher the bail, Dean said. Weapons and narcotics charges carry higher bail amounts, he said.

The average bail for the warrants served during the December sweep was more than $5,000, according to Dean. “Some were for $20,000; some were no bail,” Dean said.

Officers also provided due-diligence service on an additional 769 warrants, as required by the courts to ensure that law enforcement agencies make an ongoing effort to serve outstanding warrants, Dean said.

In addition to the arrests for outstanding warrants, officers made several more arrests on a variety of charges, including felony possession of narcotics and possession of narcotics for sale, Dean said.