ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

The County of Ventura Planning Department identifies Mike Virgilio as the owner of Ozena Valley Ranch, Ozena Valley.
http://www.ventura.org/planning/pdf/eirs/enviro/LU04-0055_Ozena%20Valley_Mit_Neg_Dec.pdf

Mike Virgilio is also listed as the owner of Ozena Valley Ranch, as part of the state of California Hazardous Waste Tracking Program.
http://www.city-data.com/zips/93704.html

The LA Times reports that Michael and Ann Virgilio, according to court documents, are the owners of Boulevard Sales and Service, "a fortress-like gun store in Compton."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-guns23mar23,0,1330218.story?page=1&track=mostemailedlink

Ozena Valley Network identifies a Tony Virgilio as owner of Ojena Valley Ranch, in an article originally printed in the VC Reporter.
http://www.ozenavalley.net/newarticles/newsbison.htm

According to an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) press release, there is also a Boulevard Sales store located in American Hay and Mercantile in Oak View, which was the store that was raided. Two men were arrested, one was Stephen Patrick Virgilio, 36, of Huntington Beach.
http://news.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20070322/22mar20071440.html

According to the Department of Food & Game, the following is a registered aquaculturist:

OZENA VALLEY RANCH
(310) 635-8024
MAILING ADDRESS:
1316 N LONG BEACH BLVD
COMPTON CA 90221

1316 N. Long Beach Blvd is the same address as Boulevard Sales & Service, the gun dealer.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_5501432

Great work Howard and Tyler. A clear pattern of indifference to the safety of the public at large in both of these enterprises, all for the sake of profit. It would be interesting if there are any campaign donations to any of those considering the expansion of the mining.Maybe this will finally give some traction to the mining opposition's efforts in exposing safety problems on the roadway of Hwy.33.

I was wondering, are those in opposition to the trucks, against all mining trucks. Would they accept single bed trucks.

wow, that's some gnarly investigative reporting!!

great work, guys!

Snowball Dumty rolled down the hill
getting bigger and bigger as it flew past
Jack and Jill.
All the emperor's horses and all the emperor's men
exposed by little brother
once again.

Given that the same Mike Virgilio owns both the Ozena mine and the gun store in Compton, I gotta ask: Why are Caltrans and Ventura County Planning willing to throw the entire Ojai valley under the wheels of gravel trucks to benefit a gun dealer?

Check out some quotes from the LA Times article on the gun bust:

"When felons walked into Boulevard Sales and Service, a fortress-like gun store in Compton, they weren't turned away. Instead, law enforcement officials said they were coached..." "On Thursday, federal authorities who were working with state and local law enforcement officials shut down the operation, arresting the son of the longtime owners and an employee, and seizing thousands of weapons and rounds of ammunition at the Compton store and a sister operation near Ojai in Ventura County."

"The raids put at least a temporary end to a retail gun outlet that authorities said had provided a steady stream of weapons used in crimes or possessed by felons not legally allowed to own them."

"No other California gun dealer had more crime guns traced back to their stores than Boulevard Sales and Service in the last two years, according to federal firearms records..."

"Twenty-eight guns were tied to homicide investigations, including the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer."

"The business we believe acted in concert with gang members and felons," said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge John A. Torres, as agents behind him stacked some of the more than 2,000 weapons that were being removed from the gun store..."

"Officials who worked on the two-month-long sting described a bold sales strategy inside the long controversial store, which the Rev. Jesse Jackson, during his 1988 presidential campaign, cited as a ready source of Soviet-made AK-47 semiautomatic rifles and Israeli Uzi submachine guns for anyone who had "cash money on Long Beach Boulevard."

"Investigators said store workers "coached" them to use a friend or girlfriend who could clear federally required background checks. Such sales, known as "straw" buys, are illegal..."

"The alleged "straw" sales included high-caliber handguns, a Glock .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, a pump-action shotgun and a bolt-action rifle with a telescopic sight. Large quantities of ammunition, including three cases of AK-47-type bullets, also were alleged to have been sold to straw buyers."

"In one case, federal agents said, an undercover LAPD detective wondered out loud if he should report the gun stolen to avoid getting into trouble. According to papers filed in court, Ann Virgilio, who owns the stores with her husband, Michael Virgilio, agreed that reporting the gun as stolen would be a good idea."

"In another instance, the admitted felon, a confidential informant with previous felony convictions on weapons, theft and drug charges, told Michael Virgilio that he buried all of his firearms in his yard until he needed them."

"At that point, court documents allege, Michael Virgilio gave the man his business card and told him to make future buys directly through him."

""It's painfully obvious that they do not care how the gun is going to be used," Assistant Sheriff Doyle Campbell said... Additionally, ATF agents said, informants had told them that the store was popular with gang members and ex-convicts because of the ease in making straw buys."

"In a list compiled by The Americans for Gun Safety Foundation, the store ranked 46th nationwide in terms of the volume of sold guns traced to crimes between 1996 and 2000, with 436."

If, as reported in that same story, Virgilios opened the store in 1978 and then began their mine operation in 1997, shouldn't we ask if in fact they financed their gravel operation with the profits from illegal gun sales?

This is real news. And as far as I know, it all comes as news to Ojai. Impressive investigating. Keep up the good work, guys.

I am a near neighbor of the above named Ozena valley ranch,aka...the Virgilios, Ozena mine & compton gun store, and hay sales. I am at risk for saying what I am about to say...because.
These are powerful people with little regard for anyone who get in their way.
Anyone who has worked for them, fear them.
They pay mostly in cash, and have doubtfully documented immigrant workers working there at present. No one else will work for them for very long.
It is generally understood that they can make nearly anything happen in their favor through intimidation and money,and bribes.
Because they may have sold guns to local police officers. (Ventura co. sheriff's) over time it has beeen held that they have local law enforcement on their side.
We have often wondered about possible mafia connections.
In addition, they had a recent land deal with a local native american tribe, and that supposedly gives their land special immunities to laws that effect everyone else.
The mining operation is a subtle reminder of how a sand & gravel business can impact a beautiful mountain area, and do it anonymously. the gravel trucks are recklessly driven and will run you off the road if you are in the way.
The gravel trucks are operated by independant contractors. There is no visible connection to the virgilios name on them.
The road quality is degraded on a daily basis on both hiway 33 and lockwood valley road.
The virgilios are very close to getting approval to double the amount of trucks they will operate, and more than double the operating output of the mine from 200,000 tons to 1,200,000 tons per year.
The noise of the machinery at the gravel pit can be heard for miles.
Everyone we know are concerned but don't know what to do.
I don't know what you will do with my comments, but please feel free to use them.
I am not sure how safe I am from them, so use discretion as to my near location and Email address. thank you

Thanks for your courage. Your statements have the ring of truth, although they are unsubstantiated, except through circumstantial evidence. It sounds to me like there is a real dark side to this gravel business, and that is scary. A larger framework, still, is how money runs over people, and ugliness over beauty. People like yourself, IF what you represent is true, and only time will reveal that, as individuals speaking their truth do more good than thousands of corporate shills and their political enablers. Thanks again.