Two Ventura County men are facing bribery charges after a contractor reported them for soliciting a bribe in exchange for expediting a building permit process in the City of Thousand Oaks. Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced the charges against Ray Allan Villanueva III and Jimmy Daniel Coronado, noting the importance of maintaining public trust in the local government's processes.
According to the District Attorney's office statement, Villanueva, a city building inspector, and Coronado, an Oxnard resident, allegedly conspired to solicit a bribe from a state-licensed contractor working on a residential project in Thousand Oaks. Construction had been halted on the project, requiring the submission of revised building plans. The District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit subsequently launched an investigation into the incident.
"City employees must serve the public honestly, not try to profit from their position," said District Attorney Nasarenko. "When someone is alleged to have abused their authority, it hurts trust in local government, undermines public safety, and shakes our confidence that the permitting process is fair and impartial," as stated by the District Attorney's office.
The investigation by the District Attorney's Public Integrity Unit unveiled that between October and December 2024, Coronado and Villanueva had plotted to offer the contractor a quicker approval in exchange for the bribe, with Villanueva approving a final building inspection prematurely within the City’s internal permitting system. Coronado, whose bail is set at $20,000, remains in custody – his arraignment is tentatively scheduled for today. Villanueva, who also had bail set at $20,000, posted it, and his arraignment is slated for September 24, as per the District Attorney's office.
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