Santa Paula man pleads guilty in beating of sick sea lion
A Santa Paula man pleaded guilty June 16 to two felony counts related to beating a sick sea lion on a Ventura beach earlier this year.
Christopher Hurtado, 32, was charged with cruelty to an animal and possession of methamphetamine, and he faced special allegations related to a previous conviction and the animal’s vulnerable state, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
“Our office takes acts of cruelty to animals very seriously, and we are committed to holding those individuals accountable when animals are unnecessarily harmed,” said Deputy District Attorney Patrick Benjamin, who prosecuted the case, in a news release.
On March 4, a woman walking with her dog along the Ventura Beach Promenade reported the sick sea lion to Ventura police. As dispatchers found the animal on live surveillance video, they soon spotted a man kicking the sea lion in the head, the DA’s office said.
The man, later identified as Hurtado, then sat on the rocks momentarily before picking up a large piece of driftwood and striking the sea lion’s body. Ventura police arrived and arrested Hurtado who was also found in possession of 0.06 grams of methamphetamine, the DA’s office said.
Hurtado was set to go to trial this month for his charges before changing his plea.
The nonprofit Channel Island Marine and Wildlife Institute took the sea lion into its care, the DA’s office said. The animal suffered from poisoning caused by domoic acid, which is created during seasonal algae blooms.
The institute told the DA’s office recently that the sea lion had been euthanized.
Hurtado is scheduled for sentencing July 14. He remains in custody with bail set at $25,000. Hurtado faces three years in state prison, the DA’s office said.
Fillmore man accused of illegal gun sales after weapons cache found at home
A 45-year-old man is facing numerous felony charges for the alleged illegal sale of firearms after the discovery of a large cache of weapons at his Fillmore home.
The man was arrested June 13 after a search of his home turned up nearly 140 guns, hundreds of magazines and an estimated 100,000 rounds of various types of ammunition, according to a news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said that among the firearms found were an assault rifle and a Browning belt-fed machine gun, both capable of firing high-powered bullets.
He faces five counts of transportation of an assault weapon, two counts of possession of an assault weapon and 10 counts of unlawful transfer of a firearm, court records show. He pleaded not guilty to all charges June 17.
He is being held on $250,000 bail and scheduled to return to Ventura County Superior Court July 16 for a probable cause hearing, jail records show.
The man’s arrest came after a multi-week investigation by the sheriff’s office’s Special Enforcement Unit whose detectives allege the 45-year-old was involved in the illegal gun sales.
Santa Paula police search for additional victims of sex crimes
Santa Paula police are searching for witnesses and potential victims of a man arrested in May for allegedly having a relationship with a minor and other related sex crimes.
Juan Mex Velasquez, 47, was arrested on suspicion of felony lewd act on a child, aggravated mayhem, unlawful sex with a child and use of a minor for sex acts, according to the Santa Paula Police Department. He also faces special allegations that could enhance his sentence if he’s convicted.
The man has pleaded not guilty to his charges and denied the multiple special allegations, court records show. Velasquez is being held at the Todd Road Jail on $700,000 bail.
Santa Paula police said the investigation is ongoing, and they believe more victims exist. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Santa Paula police Cmdr. Eric Starna at 805-826-2227 or estarna@spcity.org.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Man pleads guilty in sea lion attack, Fillmore man accused in illicit gun sales, more
Reporting by Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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