Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:
VENTURA — The city of Ventura's Police and Fire departments are hosting a community block party for local residents on Saturday.
The free, family-friendly event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the agencies' headquarters at 1425 Dowell Drive in Ventura.
K-9 police dog demonstrations, a Jaws of Life extrication demonstration and hands-on games for kids are part of the offerings. Residents can check out patrol cars, motorcycles, fire engines, a SWAT rescue vehicle and other emergency equipment.
Snacks will be provided and food trucks will be on hand with meals for sale.
"We are opening our doors and exterior gates and welcoming our community into our headquarters," said police Chief Darin Schindler in a statement.
Fire Chief David Endaya said the agency wants to connect with local residents and businesses: "Community engagement is more critical than ever."
Visitors are asked not to bring family pets as working police dogs will be at the site.
Some parking is available in the headquarters' front lot. Nearby parking lots within walking distance can be found at Kohl's, Crosspointe Church and Mission Church.
The event is funded by the nonprofit Ventura Police Community Foundation.
VENTURA COUNTY — A man has been sentenced to six years felony jail time for scamming an elderly Ventura widow out of more than $1 million, prosecutors said.
Worthy Tobe Smith, 84, of San Diego, had pleaded guilty last month to 13 felony charges, including conspiracy, receiving stolen property and money laundering, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
In a series of phone calls in 2020 and 2021, Smith and an unidentified co-conspirator tricked the woman into believing she had won a large grant, prosecutors said. They told her she needed to contribute money before the grant would fund.
Smith acted as the co-conspirator's agent and collected 30 checks from the victim totaling more than $1.4 million. He laundered 22 of the checks, valued at more than $1 million, by converting most into cashier's checks, the DA's office said. He then passed the cashier's checks to another so-called "money mule" in Michigan.
Smith also made $15,400 worth of unauthorized ATM withdrawals from the victim's bank account.
“People get defrauded by really creative people," said Marc Leventhal, the senior deputy DA who prosecuted the case. "They groom their victims and make them feel special. I want to hold them accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Ventura Police Department.
“Scammers behind frauds like this are highly skilled in conning elders over the phone," Ventura County DA Erik Nasarenko said in a statement. "We all need to educate our loved ones about these scams to protect them from potential financial ruin and criminal schemes.”
Smith was sentenced Wednesday by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Bruce Young.
He will serve the first two years of his sentence in Ventura County jail, where he has been in custody since mid-April, prosecutors said. Once released, he will serve the remaining four years under mandatory supervision. Smith was also ordered to pay restitution of just over $1 million to the victim, court records show.