Jose Santos Villalobos of Oxnard has been convicted on multiple felony counts including attempted child abduction, filing forged documents, and forgery. The verdict was delivered on Thursday in a case that the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office described as involving a high degree of planning and sophistication. Villalobos also faced charges for disobeying a court order during the illegal attempt to seize his child.
Sophisticated Forgery Used to Deceive Police
The criminal plot unfolded on September 6, 2024, when Villalobos tried to take custody of his daughter by presenting fake paperwork to both law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office. These documents claimed that an emergency court hearing had granted him custody. However, investigators soon discovered the forms were fraudulent. The judge whose name appeared on the documents confirmed he had never signed or authorized the paperwork.
The jury found that Villalobos carried out the crime with a professional level of sophistication. This finding often impacts the severity of the punishment, as it shows the act was not a spontaneous mistake but a deliberate attempt to manipulate the legal system. Prosecutors emphasized that using forged judicial documents to abduct a child is an exceptionally serious violation of public trust.
Sentencing and Potential Prison Sentence
Following the conviction, Villalobos is now scheduled for a sentencing hearing on February 6, 2026. He faces a maximum of four years and two months in state prison for the combined felony counts. Until that date, he remains under the supervision of the court while the District Attorney’s Office prepares its final sentencing recommendation.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office used this case to remind the public that all custody matters must be handled through the legitimate court process. Attempting to bypass the law through forgery not only carries heavy prison time but also places children in potentially unstable and dangerous situations. Villalobos will remain in custody or under strict bail conditions until his final sentence is handed down next month.