Thousand Oaks Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Baseball Bat Assault & Hate Crime

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Javier Gomez  (DOB 11/22/05), of Thousand Oaks, pled guilty on April 27, 2026, in Ventura County Superior  Court for a racially-motivated baseball bat attack on an African American man. Gomez pled guilty  to one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon. He also admitted all aggravating factors and  charged special allegations, including the gang allegation, hate crime allegation and causing great  bodily injury. 

Gomez, a documented gang member, and another juvenile confronted an African American victim  while he was walking to his parked vehicle in Thousand Oaks on Dec. 31, 2024. Gomez and the  juvenile yelled racial slurs, before cornering the victim. Gomez, armed with a baseball bat, struck  the victim in the forehead, then handed the bat to the juvenile, who struck the victim again in the  head. The victim’s girlfriend called 911, prompting Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies to  respond to the scene. Gomez and the juvenile were arrested. 

The victim, who is not associated with any gang, suffered cognitive and vison issues for several  months following the assault. 

“The victim and his wife showed tremendous courage by testifying at the preliminary hearing and  confronting hate head on,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “Our community will not tolerate  hate-fueled violence or gang-related intimidation.” 

Senior Deputy District Attorney Hayley Moyer, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s  Office Major Crime Gangs Unit, prosecuted the case. 

The minor in this case admitted to charges and was sentenced in juvenile court. 

Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the  Ventura County Superior Court. He is expected to be sentenced to five years in state prison. 

Case: 2024034341 

Defendant Information: 
Javier Gomez (DOB 11/22/05) 
Thousand Oaks 

Charges pled to: 

• PC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a deadly weapon 

Special allegations admitted: 

• PC 12022.7(a) – Great bodily injury in commission of a felony 
• PC 186.22(b)(1)(c) – Violent felony street gang activity 
• PC 422.75(b) – Hate crime 
• CRC 4.421(a)(2) – The defendant was armed with and used a weapon 
• CRC 4.421(b)(4) – The defendant was on probation