NEWBURY PARK, Calif. — A multi-month law enforcement probe targeting illegal firearms manufacturing, unregistered weapons, and illegal narcotics distribution in Newbury Park has culminated in the arrests of three local residents and the recovery of dozens of illegal firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, authorities announced Monday.
The investigation, spanning from May through July 2026, was conducted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Gun Violence Reduction Program (GVRP) in collaboration with the Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit (SCU), and Thousand Oaks Police Department Patrol Services.
Sheriff's officials identified the three arrested suspects as 49-year-old Tasha Dunning, 30-year-old Kastan Jones, and 30-year-old Randall Cota, all residents of Newbury Park.
Burglary Report Triggers Broader Weapons Probe
The complex, multi-agency investigation began in May 2026 when Thousand Oaks Police Department patrol deputies responded to a burglary call at a residential home located in the 2900 block of Teresa Drive in Newbury Park.
During that initial burglary response, deputies learned that a local resident, Frank Holzer, had stolen multiple firearms from home resident Tasha Dunning. Officers located Holzer and successfully recovered several stolen weapons, including an illegal assault weapon and an unregistered privately made firearm, commonly referred to as a "ghost gun."
Recognizing the presence of illicit and unregistered firearms at the location, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Gun Violence Reduction Program assumed primary control of the investigation.
On May 28, 2026, GVRP detectives alongside the Sheriff’s Special Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at Dunning’s Teresa Drive residence. During the search, investigators seized 14 firearms—including an assault weapon and multiple unregistered handguns—along with approximately 50 high-capacity ammunition magazines, several thousand rounds of live ammunition, and a quantity of ecstasy (MDMA). Dunning was taken into custody on various weapons and narcotics charges, and her case was submitted to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office for formal prosecution.
Secondary Search Warrants Net Additional Suspects and Contraband
While executing the initial search warrant at Dunning's residence, detectives searched a tenant's room on the property and located an unregistered Glock handgun, live ammunition, a quantity of cocaine, and additional high-capacity magazines. Evidence gathered at the scene led investigators to identify 30-year-old Kastan Jones as the tenant.
On June 12, 2026, law enforcement officers located and arrested Jones. The District Attorney’s Office subsequently filed formal felony weapons and narcotics charges against Jones, alongside a misdemeanor charge for driving with a suspended license.
As GVRP detectives continued their intelligence gathering, they identified 30-year-old Randall Cota of Newbury Park as a close criminal associate of Jones. Investigators determined Cota was actively involved in unlawful firearm activities and drug use, prompting detectives to secure a search warrant for his residence in the 3000 block of Lily Court.
On July 15, 2026, detectives from GVRP and the Thousand Oaks Directed Enforcement Unit executed the warrant at Cota's home. Officers recovered nine additional firearms—including an assault weapon and two unregistered pistols—along with high-capacity magazines and several thousand rounds of ammunition.
Cota was arrested and booked at the East Valley Jail on charges including possession of an assault weapon, unlawful transfer of a firearm, possession of a large-capacity magazine, and being a narcotics addict in possession of a firearm.
"The Ventura County Sheriff’s Gun Violence Reduction Program is a collaborative effort aimed at reducing gun violence in Ventura County through the enforcement of existing state firearms laws and the seizure of illegally possessed weapons," the Ventura County Sheriff's Office stated in an official release prepared by Sergeant Adam Garnier. "Together these agencies work to enhance public safety and prevent gun-related crimes in the community."
Multi-Agency Task Force Target Prohibited Possessors
The Ventura County Sheriff's Gun Violence Reduction Program operates as a specialized multi-agency unit comprising detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the California Department of Justice, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Task force operations focus heavily on removing illegal firearms, untraceable ghost guns, and high-capacity magazines from residential neighborhoods, with particular emphasis on cross-referencing individuals listed in California's Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS).
What's Next
Cases for all three suspects have been formally presented to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office for prosecution in Ventura County Superior Court.
Members of the public with additional information regarding illegal firearms manufacturing, unregistered weapons, or illicit narcotics in the Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park areas are urged to contact Detective Myron Bennett III at (805) 947-7677. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).