Ventura County DAs Investigator Interview Flashcards
Who is the current Ventura County District Attorney?
Erik Na-sa-renko
What year did D.A. Nasarenko get elected?
June 7, 2022 (Appointed by CBOS in 2021)
Who is the Ventura County Chief of Investigations?
Chief Scott Whitney
How many D.A. Commanders are there?
3 - Commander De Los Reyes
Commander Brackpool
Commander Towner
What is the mission of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office?
We are committed to public safety,
the pursuit of truth and justice,
ensuring victims are protected,
and our communities are served with fairness and integrity.
Who is this?
ERIK NASARENKO
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Who is this?
LISA OKINAKA LYYTIKAINEN
CHIEF ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Who is this?
SCOTT WHITNEY
CHIEF INVESTIGATOR
What is C.A.R.U.?
Child Abduction Recovery Unit
Description of the Child Abduction Recovery Unit
When a child is being wrongfully withheld or concealed from a person with a right of custody, the District Attorney’s Child Abduction and Recovery Unit seeks to act on behalf of the court to assist in the enforcement of custody and visitation orders. The District Attorney’s Office does not represent either parent or party and is not a substitute for private counsel.
Wrongfully concealing or withholding a child from someone with a right to custody or visitation can be a felony; however, in most cases, the Child Recovery Unit will attempt to facilitate voluntary compliance with court orders, including the return of the child to the jurisdiction where the child was wrongfully removed from, regardless of where that may be. There are also specific provisions that apply to international cases.
Description of the Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit.
The District Attorney’s Consumer and Environmental Protection investigators work with the unit’s prosecutors to handle a broad range of consumer protection activities including unfair or dishonest business practices in Ventura County. These cases may include claims of false advertising, price-fixing, or deceptive sales practices. The same team of investigators also participates in the investigation of environmental crimes such as oil spills and illegal hazardous waste transportation, treatment, storage, or disposal.
Description of Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit.
The Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit investigates and prosecutes civil and criminal cases to enforce laws protecting the public against environmental violations, as well as unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices and deceptive advertising.
Description of the Domestic Violence Unit.
Work closely with prosecutors. Investigators and victim advocates are assigned to assist attorneys as prosecution team members.
Description of the Economic Crimes Unit.
Economic Crimes investigators handle a variety of white-collar criminal and civil consumer protection investigations, ranging from deceptive and misleading advertising to major fraud cases involving losses in the millions of dollars. Other cases investigated by this unit include workers’ compensation fraud, auto insurance fraud, environmental crimes, real estate fraud, asset forfeitures, and code enforcement violations.
Description of Gang Section
Crimes committed by, for the benefit of, in association with, or at the direction of active criminal street gang members are prosecuted by experienced attorneys dedicated to achieving justice in these cases. The crimes committed by those involved in gang activity may include vandalism, burglary, robbery, extortion, assault with a deadly weapon, trafficking in controlled substances, and murder.
Description of the High Tech Task Force.
The Task Force is made up of investigators from the District Attorney’s Office, civilian computer forensic examiners, and representatives from other law enforcement agencies. The SCHTTF provides highly technical support and forensic technology services for the District Attorney’s ever-growing number of cases involving digital evidence and provides specialized training to other law enforcement agencies and prosecutors.
Description of the Major Fraud Unit.
Major Fraud investigations involve financial crimes. Typically, a major fraud case involves a suspect who intentionally misleads yet convinces a victim to “invest” large sums of money into a business enterprise or investment. There are various types of fraud, but some common schemes include the following: credit card fraud, loan fraud, investment fraud, money laundering, Ponzi schemes, multi-layer pyramid schemes, and securities fraud.
Description of the Public Assistance Fraud Unit.
District attorney investigators work in partnership with the Ventura County Human Services Agency (HSA) to investigate and assist in prosecuting fraud committed by public assistance recipients. One focus of the unit’s investigations is to prevent ineligible applicants from receiving welfare benefits. Investigators conduct in-field operations to provide information to the HSA staff before welfare benefits are issued so as to assist in preventing the fraudulent receipt of welfare benefits. Welfare fraud investigators also focus on individuals that received benefits for which they were ineligible and potentially did so fraudulently.
