Photo: Racheal Fernandez, Jacson Landaverde, and Stephen Monson
VENTURA COUNTY — Three Oxnard residents known to be active members of a criminal street gang were arrested just before midnight on June 29th following the execution of a search warrant at the residence of 46-year-old Stephen Monson.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Senior Deputy Ernan Jauregui, VCSD Gang Unit detectives had conducted “a month-long narcotic investigation” into Monson as a suspect in the ongoing sales of methamphetamine throughout Ventura County.
It was 11:00 p.m. on the 29th when deputies and detectives attached to the Gang Unit and the Special Crimes Unit—backed up by the presence of an Oxnard Police Department K-9 unit—knocked on Monson’s door to execute “a signed search warrant” on him, his vehicle, and his residence.
Once inside the house, the cops found 39-year-old Oxnard resident Jacson Landaverde, “a documented gang member and previously convicted felon.” 41-year-old Oxnard resident Racheal Fernandez was also in the home and determined to be “under the influence of a controlled substance.”
Also found inside the residence were three pounds of methamphetamine, “a small amount of heroin, digital scales, paraphernalia indicative of narcotic sales, ammunition, and a loaded firearm.”
All three suspects were transported to Ventura County Jail. Monson was booked for possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, and possession of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $75,000.
Landaverde was released on his own recognizance after being booked for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine. Fernandez was also released on her own recognizance after being booked for being under the influence of a controlled substance.
