Monterey County District Attorney’s Office to file criminal and civil charges against owners of makeshift housing in Royal Oaks
ROYAL OAKS, CALIF. (KION-TV)- UPDATE ON MARCH 26, 2024 AT 4:30 PM- The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced that they will be filing criminal and civil charges against two property owners who are accused of illegally housed farmworkers in greenhouses in Royal Oaks.
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said that Nicolas Meja Ruvalcaba and Ana Ortiz Ruvalcaba illegally built 68 unpermitted dwelling units which housed 270 people.
Pacioni said the criminal complaint charges them with three felony counts of tax evasion, one misdemeanor count for failing to secure workers compensation insurance and seven misdemeanor counts related to unpermitted and unsafe housing at the property.
In May 2023, we showed you photos of the illegal housing units that were built in Royal Oaks.
READ MORE: Makeshift housing in Royal Oaks to be demolished, tenants face housing uncertainty
Pacioni said in the civil complaint that Nicolas and Ana Ruvalcaba's illegal housing scheme constitutes unfair competition, seeks civil petalites and injunctive relief.
The DA's Office said that an arrest warrant has been issued in the criminal case and they have both been given an opportunity to surrender.
If you are a former tenant or employee that lived in the housing units, your are asked to contact District Attorney Investigator Sarah Jackson at 831-759-6774.
Monterey County DA could pursue criminal charges against makeshift housing owner
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office calls the discovery of about 100 people living in unsafe conditions the most despicable situation they've seen.
These illegal units are located on a property in Royal Oaks, tucked away far into the property. Public Information Officer for Monterey County Nicholas Pasculli gave an update on what the county’s doing so far.
“We are working with the landowner to mitigate the challenges for those people, which includes getting them alternative housing and the current property owner having to pay for two months,” Pasculli said.
Read more: Monterey County fines property owner over $59,000 for makeshift housing in Royal Oaks
Those two months will be valued at the market rate. The owner will also have to pay some fines that will continue to increase if he doesn’t bring the housing up to code.
“The fines started to be levied on May 10th and the current is about $59,600 in fines and it would be per day,” Pasculli said. “So the timetable is, you know, based on the land, the property owner.”
Several requirements listed on the citation include mechanical and electrical, fire safety, and plumbing violations.
Meanwhile, the DA’s office, now involved in the case, could potentially result in more than just code violations for the owner but possibly result in criminal charges for the owners of the Ruvalcaba Nursery according to Chief Assistant District Attorney Berkley Brannon.
These premises were uninhabitable,” Brannon said. “Unfortunately, people who are desperate enough and these folks were mostly Oaxacan, they were willing to pay to live there... that individual was exploiting them.”
Any more details of the investigation couldn’t be discussed in order to avoid jeopardizing the case. Still, the DA’s office sent the message that these people didn't know any better and were being taken advantage of.
“I don't think we've seen premises that are really this despicable involving so many people,” Brannon said. “I think everybody needs to understand that It's so sad that people are paying a lot to live there. They felt like, you know, they thought that this guy was helping and he wasn't.”
The county is working with nonprofits to help people that were living in these nurseries to help them get the resources they need.
Multiple agencies are also involved in mitigating this situation including the environmental health unit, housing and community development, and social services.
