5 Held in Violent Series of Robberies
Ventura police arrested five men Sunday night in connection with a series of robberies that left several victims stabbed and beaten, authorities said.
Arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and robbery were Ernest Kevin Borrego Jr. 19, of Fillmore; and David Cortez, 18; Hector Aguayo, 19; Michael Joseph Fernandez, 22; and Jesse Perez, 19, all of Santa Paula.
Police said the robberies began about 7:30 p.m. as Ventura resident Sheldon Brown walked near Ash and Buena Vista streets. Two men in their 20s jumped from a dark-colored four-door car and demanded money. The attackers pushed Brown and stabbed him with a screwdriver before fleeing.
After four more attacks over the next two hours, Ventura Police Officer Brian Hewlett noticed a car matching witnesses’ descriptions. The vehicle was parked outside a fast-food restaurant at Citrus Drive and Wells Road about 9:30 p.m.
Five men inside the restaurant were questioned and arrested after police recovered items believed taken in the robberies, authorities said.
None of the victims in the holdups were seriously injured.
Police suspect the five are members of a local gang, said Lt. Quinn Fenwick, spokesman for the Ventura Police Department.
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