Eleven arrested for welfare fraud

Last week, criminal investigators from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations served 12 felony arrest warrants and 6 misdemeanor arrest warrants for suspects wanted for allegedly committing welfare fraud in Tulare County.

The following individuals were arrested and either booked into the Tulare County Jail Facilities or cited and released:

Ja Lee See, 35, of Visalia; Jose Cervantes, 31, of Porterville; Nasir See, 32, of Visalia; Rosa Gilley, 53, of Porterville; Delia Velasquez, 38, of Visalia; Marlo Martinez, 45, of Tulare; Loretta Hughes, 28, of Visalia; Angel Gutierrez, 41, of Tulare; Keyla Ramos, 27, of Visalia; Rosa Ruelas, 30, of Tulare; and -William Gutierrez, 40, of Visalia.

The total amount of alleged fraud in these cases is $90,334.00. To date in 2022, the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations identified $203,876 in fraudulent benefits, resulting in felony criminal charges being filed in those cases.

The fraudulent activity in these cases included activities such as failing to report income and failing to report changes in household composition. It’s a felony for an individual to make a false statement or misrepresentation of material facts in order to obtain more than $950 of aid that they weren’t entitled to receive.

The District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations will continue to investigate all suspected fraud committed against public assistance programs here in Tulare County. If the public has further information related to suspected fraud, contact the DA’S office at (559) 636-5410.