A Santa Paula man, Refugio Cortez, has been sentenced to over four years in state prison for the illegal possession of an arsenal of firearms and ammunition, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today. The 38-year-old was convicted on July 17, 2024, and has faced 12 felony counts, including 11 counts of owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm as a felon and one count related to ammunition possession.
During the announcement, Deputy District Attorney Hyla Schneir highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, "As a prohibited person, the Defendant’s illegal possession of firearms and ammunition posed a danger to our community." The discovery of the weapons cache occurred on December 28, 2023, when detectives had to forcefully gain entry into a locked shed at Cortez's mother's residence. Inside, they found six rifles, which included an AK-47, three revolvers, and three handguns, along with various ammunition rounds. Cortez, with a past felony conviction, legally could not possess any firearms.
Within the scope of the law, certain individuals are permanently barred from owning firearms based on prior convictions that render them a potential threat if equipped with such means of power. The case against Cortez hinged on this fact—a past that legally forbade him from stockpiling what could effectively become instruments of violence. "The sentence in this case reflects the seriousness of this conduct," said Ms. Schneir about the court's decision.
The sentence of 4 years and 4 months took into account several factors. Among them were Cortez's unsatisfactory performance on previous probation or parole and the fact that he already has served a prior term, as stated in the case's special allegations. The prosecution of this case was handled by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office General Trials Unit, and Joey Buttitta, the Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for the office, released the details pertaining to these convictions. Despite his conviction on the weapons charges, Cortez was found not guilty on a separate misdemeanor count of identity theft.
