Ex-Trustee Pleads Guilty in Drug Case

Former Oxnard Elementary School District Trustee Ray Gonzales pleaded guilty Wednesday to transporting cocaine, a felony conviction for which he is expected to serve a six-month jail sentence.

Gonzales, 42, resigned from the school board June 9 after his arrest nine days earlier in south Oxnard on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale. Police said they found 4 1/2 grams of methamphetamine in Gonzales’ car, but drug tests later revealed the substance was cocaine.

Gonzales initially pleaded not guilty to felony charges in connection with the alleged drug sale.

But he changed his plea late Wednesday after striking a deal with prosecutors for a reduced sentence. The plea change came during a status conference in Ventura County Superior Court.

Gonzales’ plea deal means he is expected to serve six months in Ventura County Jail and be required to register as a narcotics offender. He could also lose his driver’s license for up to three years.

Defense attorney Joel Steinfeld said his client entered the new plea because he wants to move on with his life and address a drug problem.

“He’s pretty depressed,” Steinfeld said.

The drug arrest was the latest blow for Gonzales.

In August, he was fired as director of the county-run La Colonia CalWORKS center for what his superiors said was poor job performance. The next month, he was convicted of misdemeanor battery after a Ventura County jury concluded he shoved his wife into a broken glass window during a domestic dispute.

Gonzales was placed on probation for three years and order to attend domestic violence counseling.

But Steinfeld said his client’s life continued to plummet.

After losing his job, Gonzales was unable to pay his mortgage and lost his home, Steinfeld said.

Gonzales was living out of his van at the time of the May 31 drug arrest, and had previously been caught shoplifting a small generator from a local store, the lawyer said.

In addition to the drug charge, Gonzales pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petty theft Wednesday for the generator theft and admitted to a probation violation.

The sentencing hearing for Gonzales is set for July 27. He remains in custody at the Ventura County main jail in lieu of $55,000.