VENTURA, Calif. — A City of Thousand Oaks building inspector and an associate have been ordered to stand trial on felony bribery charges following a preliminary hearing in Ventura County Superior Court, prosecutors announced Monday.
The ruling comes after a judicial review determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with criminal prosecution against 59-year-old Ray Allen Villanueva III of Moorpark and 44-year-old Jimmy Daniel Coronado of Oxnard.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko officially announced the decision on July 27, 2026, confirming that both men will face formal felony trial proceedings for allegedly soliciting payoffs in exchange for expediting municipal construction permits and signing off on unfinished building projects.
Contractor Whistleblower Alerts Public Integrity Unit
According to official court filings and investigative records released by the District Attorney’s Office, the scheme originated in 2024 during a residential construction project located within the City of Thousand Oaks.
A state-licensed contractor had been hired to oversee the residential build and subsequently retained Coronado to assist with work on the site. After construction got underway, the project encountered delays when municipal authorities halted work pending the submission and approval of revised building plans by city officials.
Investigators report that during this pause, Coronado approached the primary contractor and allegedly solicited a cash bribe to accelerate the municipal review process. Coronado reportedly claimed he possessed an insider contact within Thousand Oaks City Hall who could bypass bureaucratic delays and approve the necessary permits so construction could resume immediately.
Rather than agreeing to the illicit arrangement, the licensed contractor rejected the solicitation and reported the encounter directly to law enforcement authorities. The report prompted an immediate, comprehensive investigation by the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit (PIU).
Investigation Uncovers Premature Sign-Off in City System
The Public Integrity Unit's investigation revealed that between October and December 2024, Coronado and Villanueva actively conspired to extract financial compensation from the contractor.
Villanueva, who served as an official building inspector for the City of Thousand Oaks, allegedly used his position within local government to advance the extortion scheme. Detectives discovered that Villanueva went so far as to approve a final building inspection within the city's official internal permitting system—falsely certifying that the residential project was complete—in anticipation of receiving a financial payout, despite the structure remaining unfinished at the time of the entry.
"The public deserves confidence that building permits are issued based on the law, not personal favors or financial incentives," District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated in an official release following the court ruling. "When local government authority is allegedly used to seek personal benefit, our institutions are undermined and public officials must be held accountable."
Following the multi-month probe by District Attorney’s Office investigators, both Villanueva and Coronado were taken into custody and formally arrested on September 10, 2025.
Court Schedule, Charges, and Bail Information
Following the conclusion of their preliminary hearing on July 22, 2026, the court bound both defendants over for trial.
Villanueva and Coronado face formal charges under California Penal Code Section 68(a), which governs bribery by public officers or employees. If convicted on the felony counts, both men face potential state prison sentences and permanent disqualification from holding public office or municipal employment in California.
Court filings detail the upcoming legal proceedings for both defendants:
- Defendants: Ray Allen Villanueva III (DOB 10/21/1966) and Jimmy Daniel Coronado (DOB 09/12/1981)
- Formal Charge: California Penal Code 68(a) – Felony Bribery
- Arraignment Date: August 13, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
- Courtroom: Department 12, Ventura County Superior Court
- Current Status: Out of custody on $20,000 bail each
What's Next in the Prosecution
Both defendants are scheduled to be formally arraigned on the information on August 13, 2026, in Ventura County Superior Court, where they are expected to enter formal pleas to the felony charges.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit continues to monitor local municipal operations and encourages residents, business owners, and licensed contractors to report suspected public corruption, bribery, or misuse of public funds by contacting the District Attorney's Office at (805) 654-2500 or visiting their official portal.