Community
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Enforcement Operation in Open Space Leads to Narcotics Arrests and Recovery of Stolen Property
| Nature of Incident: | Enforcement Operation in Open Space Leads to Narcotics Arrests and Recovery of Stolen Property |
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| Report Number: | 26-103842 | ||||
| Location: | Rancho Conejo Playfields / Arroyo Conejo 950 Ventu Park Rd. Newbury Park, CA |
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| Date & Time: | 08/11/26 @ 07:00 AM | ||||
| Unit(s) Responsible: | Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) and Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) |
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| (S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent |
City of Residence |
Age | |||
| (S) Ivan Diaz (S) Carlos Menendez Lemus (S) Daniel Gutierrez |
Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks |
42 21 41 |
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| Narrative: | |||||
| On 8/11/26, Vulnerable Population Officers (VPO) assigned to the Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) and Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) rangers conducted an enforcement and clean-up operation in the Arroyo Conejo Open Space adjacent to the Rancho Conejo Playfields. Over the past several months, VPO deputies and COSCA rangers conducted outreach operations in a portion of the Arroyo Conejo which is closed to public use. Deputies and rangers noticed an increase in trespassing and overnight camping in violation of COSCA ordinances. Deputies and rangers located several illegal encampments which accumulated a large amount of trash and caused damage to the environment. On 8/11/26, Deputies and COSCA Rangers conducted an enforcement operation in the Arroyo Conejo. During the operation, Deputies contacted (S) Ivan Diaz who was illegally camping and located a quantity of methamphetamine packaged for sales along with indicia of narcotic sales. Diaz was arrested for violations of HS 11378 - Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale, HS 11364(a) - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and PC 602(m) - Trespassing. (S) Carlos Menendez Lemus was contacted and arrested for HS 11550(a) - Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance, HS 11364(a) - Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, HS 11377(a) - Possession of a Controlled Substance, PC 472 - Felony Counterfeit Seal and three local misdemeanor warrants. (S) Daniel Gutierrez was contacted and arrested for HS 11550(a) - Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance. All three subjects were transported to the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for booking. A stolen bicycle was recovered and returned to its rightful owner. COSCA Rangers conducted an extensive clean-up in the Arroyo Conejo. The clean-up resulted in the storage of property from two illegal camps along with the removal of a large quantity of trash. DEU is comprised of detectives, who focus on protecting the Thousand Oaks community by actively investigating illegal activities by conducting intelligence led policing with a focus on identifying and arresting prolific offenders. DEU has two detectives assigned as Vulnerable Population Officers who conduct outreach to people experiencing homelessness. If you have any information about illegal activity or homeless concerns in The City of Thousand Oaks, please contact Senior Deputy Ethan Battle at 805-371-8388. COSCA Rangers are responsible for preserving and maintaining open space areas throughout the Conejo Valley. Rangers are responsible for taking care of the land and providing the best possible outdoor experience for park visitors and community neighbors. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships. |
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| Prepared by: | Senior Deputy Ethan Battle | ||||
| News Release Date: | 08/13/2026 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Deputy Matthew Higgins (805) 371-8388 [email protected] |
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| Approved by: Booking Photo Release: |
Captain James Sullivan YES NO |
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Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511
