Five indicted in home burglaries
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Five Oxnard residents- two women and three men- were indicted by a Ventura County grand jury late last week in connection with 11 daytime burglaries of Camarillo homes between Nov. 27 and Dec. 19, said officials with the Ventura County district attorney's office in a written statement.

According to prosecutors, Antonio Cervantes, 22; Manuel Elwell, 18; Ricardo Rodriguez, 19; Joy Cox, 50; and Shari Nicole Lopez, 23, are all being charged with multiple felony counts in connection with the string of daytime home burglaries.

Detectives said the suspects would allegedly knock on the front door of the homes, and if no one answered, would go to the back of the house in search of an unlocked door or window. There were at least two reported instances when the suspected burglars allegedly entered occupied homes.

When confronted, the burglars ran away before police could arrive.

Cervantes, Elwell, Rodriguez and Lopez are being charged with multiple firstdegree home burglary charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, prosecutors said.

The indictment also accuses Cox of receiving stolen property from the four alleged burglars. Lead prosecutor Robert Denton said Cox was related to one of the other four accused.

Detectives said Cervantes and Rodriguez were allegedly seen by a Camarillo Police Department surveillance team burglarizing a home in the 6000 block of Calle Arena and another residence in the 800 block of Calle Canon on Dec. 19.

"The fact that they were caught in the act does not hurt the case," Denton said.

The two men were arrested without incident. An investigation led to the later arrests of Elwell and Lopez, police reported.

Stolen property from earlier home burglaries was found in the suspects' residences, police said.

In addition to the homes on Calle Arena and Calle Canon, the suspects are accused of burglarizing homes in the 1100 block of Eston Street, the 900 block of Dara Street, the 1000 block of Centennial Avenue, the 2800 block of Wendell Street, the 1800 block of Kendall, the 1900 block of Weston Circle, the 100 block of Appletree, the 4900 block of Via Cupertino, the 2000 block of Via Montecito and the 1800 block of Via Cupertino.

Cervantes was on felony probation for residential burglary at the time of his arrest; if convicted, he faces 31 years in prison, according to prosecutors.

"We do intend to aggressively purse the defendants in this case for their actions," Denton said when asked if the district attorney's office will pursue a maximum sentence in light of the prior conviction.

If convicted, Rodriguez faces more than 15 years in prison, while Elwell could face more than 12 years. Lopez could serve up to 14 years. Cox faces nearly three years in prison, according to prosecutors.

All five are being held at the Main Jail in Ventura in lieu of $160,000 bail.

Cervantes is due back in court April 30, while Elwell and Lopez are expected to appear May 12.

Rodriguez is scheduled to appear back in court May 16. It was unknown at press time when Cox would next appear in court.