Two Camarillo men arrested on felony street gang charges

Two Camarillo men arrested last week have pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal street gang activity, police said.

Frank Tepesano, 20, and Jonathan Castellano, 21, were arrested Dec. 14 by Oxnard police.

Police said Castellano had committed acts of gang-related vandalism in Oxnard. When police stopped the men's car, officers found a loaded handgun in the vehicle driven by Tepesano.

Following the mid-December arrest, the pair were released. Police later found evidence linking Tepesano to Camarillo's Barry Street Gang.

Sgt. Robert Thomas, head of the city's gang unit, said that if investigators could prove the two were involved with a street gang the district attorney's office would be more likely to ask for longer prison sentences in the event of a conviction. Over the past five years, stricter state and federal laws have addressed gang-related crimes, adding jail time.

According to Thomas, Castellano had previously admitted to being a gang member. He was stabbed in October in a gangrelated Ventura fight, Thomas said.

Thomas said investigators still hoped to prove Tepesano was also involved with the gang. Members of the Camarillo Police Special Enforcement Unit served a gangrelated search warrant at Tepesano's home in the 100 block of Granada Street on Wed., Jan. 3. During the search, "a significant amount of gang evidence was seized from Tepesano's residence," Thomas said in a statement.

The two were arraigned Fri., Jan 5. Tepesano posted bail late last week; Castellano is being held at the Ventura County Main Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Both are expected to return to court next week.

- Daniel Wolowicz