7 Arrested in Probation, Parole Violation Sweep

Seven Thousand Oaks residents were arrested this week after sheriff’s deputies conducted gang-related probation searches of 15 homes in several neighborhoods, including the Conejo Creek condominium complex where an April 28 shooting left one man dead and another wounded.

Most of the searches were conducted Thursday by 24 deputies from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department as well as county probation and state parole officers. The action was to ensure that probationers comply with the terms of their probation.

The only arrest in the Conejo Creek neighborhood involved an unnamed individual, who was not on probation, who was taken into custody for a misdemeanor warrant.

During the searches, deputies arrested Edward Lara, 22, a gang member, for allegedly keeping an unloaded handgun in his residence, a violation of his probation. He was later released from the Ventura County Jail, a spokeswoman said.

Gang member Marco Reyes, 20, was arrested after deputies found a small amount of drugs for personal use at his residence, authorities said. As of Friday night, he was still in custody at the County Jail.

Gang member Nancy Villasana, 22, was arrested at her home on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and violation of her parole. She is being held without bail. Her sister, Rosa Villasana, 24, who police say is not a gang member, was also arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and was booked into the East County Jail. Her bail was set at $10,000.

On Sunday, two local gang members, Jose Martin Hernandez, 27, and Guillermo Gonzalez, 22, were arrested for suspicion of associating with a known gang member, which is a violation of Hernandez’s parole and Gonzalez’s probation. Both were booked into the East County Jail and are being held without bail, authorities said.