19‑Year‑Old Convicted of Violent Attack Targeting Juvenile in Ventura County

A jury in Ventura County has found a 19‑year‑old man guilty of a violent attack on a juvenile victim. The verdict was reached on December 10, 2025, following a trial in Superior Court.

📍 What Happened

On August 19, 2024, a juvenile victim was in a restaurant parking lot in the El Rio neighborhood when Sergio Contreras and three other teens spotted him while driving. Contreras, then 19 and identified as a gang member from Oxnard, parked next to the victim, exited the vehicle, and confronted him. Surveillance video showed Contreras striking the victim and placing him in a headlock. The other teens, all alleged to be gang members, joined in the beating, punching and kicking the victim as he tried to escape.

The video further showed Contreras removing a folding knife from his pocket, opening it, and stabbing the victim in the leg and arm. After the attack, Contreras and the others fled the scene and took one of the victim’s shoes.

📋 Investigation and Arrests

Law enforcement arrested the suspects in September 2024. At the time of the arrest, the defendants were 19, 18, and 15 years old. Deputies executed search warrants at their residences and recovered the victim’s stolen shoe, but the knife used in the attack was never found.

📊 Conviction and Charges

On December 10, 2025, the jury found Contreras guilty of multiple crimes, including assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit a crime, and street terrorism. The jury also found true additional allegations that the crime involved violent felony street gang activity, great violence, prior serious or violent felony convictions, use of a weapon, being on probation at the time, and engaging in violent conduct.

Two of the other suspects previously entered guilty pleas to charges including assault likely to produce great bodily injury, conspiracy to commit a crime, and street terrorism. The 15‑year‑old juvenile also pled guilty to similar counts and to participation in a criminal street gang.

⚖️ Sentence and Next Steps

Contreras remains in custody with no bail and now faces a possible prison term of up to 18 years. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2026, at the Ventura County Superior Court.

💬 Official Reaction

Ventura County District Attorney Lauren Malan, who prosecuted the case, said gang crimes pose a serious threat to community safety. She described the attack as unprovoked and expressed gratitude for the jury’s verdict, while acknowledging the work of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and the Oxnard Police Department in bringing the case to justice.

🔎 Why This Matters

This conviction highlights ongoing concerns about gang‑related violence affecting youth in Ventura County. The case underscores law enforcement and prosecutors’ efforts to hold violent offenders accountable and to deter similar attacks in the community.