Brandishing Incident Arrests 

September 5, 2024 – Ventura County Sheriff's Office officials report that on August 27, 2024, Sheriff’s Office West County Special Enforcement Unit (WC-SEU) detectives arrested Abram Chavez Ortiz and Betzayra Rios Valencia after conducting an investigation reference a firearm brandishing that occurred in Oak View in mid-August.

On August 12, 2024, at approximately 1:14 P.M., Ventura County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a call regarding a firearm brandishing that occurred in the 600 block of N. Ventura Avenue in Oak View.  Ojai Patrol Station deputies responded to the call for service.  Deputies learned a male suspect confronted an adult male victim and brandished a semi-automatic handgun. The male suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, which was driven by a female.  A short time later, Headquarters Patrol Station deputies located the suspect vehicle near Solimar Beach in Ventura. However, the suspect vehicle was only occupied by the female suspect, Betzayra Rios Valencia, at that time.  

Over the next weeks, WC-SEU detectives investigated the case and identified Abram Chavez Ortiz as the male suspect. Ortiz had been wanted since January 2024 for an outstanding felony warrant. Additionally, detectives learned Ortiz had recently fled from police during a traffic stop in Ventura.         

On August 27, 2024, at approximately 1:45 P.M., WC-SEU detectives located Ortiz and Valencia in a parking lot in the 200 block of W. Esplanade Drive in Oxnard.  Both suspects were taken into custody.

Detectives then conducted a probation search and served a search warrant at residences associated to Ortiz and Valencia in Ventura. Detectives located a replica firearm and live ammunition inside a bedroom associated to the suspects.

Ortiz is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his criminal record.  Ortiz was booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura for the outstanding arrest warrant, brandishing, conspiracy, and ammunition violations.

Valencia was booked for brandishing, conspiracy, and accessory violations.  

On August 29, 2024, the case against Ortiz was presented to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, who subsequently filed misdemeanor PC 417.4 – Brandishing a Replica Gun and felony PC 30305(a)(1) – Prohibited Person in Possession of Ammunition charges against Ortiz in the Ventura County Superior Court.  Ortiz remains in custody with an upcoming court date and $30,000 bail amount. 

Valenica posted bail on the matter and has a pending future court date.

The West County Special Enforcement Unit is comprised of eight detectives whose focus is assisting the Sheriff’s Office West County Patrol Stations with the investigation of various crimes including but not limited to violent crimes and illegal firearm activities. The brandishing investigation is on-going, if you have any information about the case, please contact Detective Austin Whittaker at 805-654-3509.

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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Source & photos: Ventura County Sheriff's Office