Press Release
	Office of the Tulare County District Attorney
	County Civic Center
	221 S. Mooney Blvd., Rm 224
	Visalia, California 93291
	(559) 733-6411
Date: June 29, 2006
PORTERVILLE IDENTITY THIEVES SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON
The Honorable Judge Patrick J. O'Hara sentenced Edward Murrietta, 25, Adolfo Rojas, 30, and Laura Sanchez Murrietta, 24, today in Tulare County Superior Court for charges stemming from a Porterville identity theft ring. All three were living in Porterville at the time of the crimes and lived in Tulare County most of their lives. Edward Murrietta was sentenced to eight years and four months in state prison. Adolfo Rojas and Laura Sanchez were sentenced to six years in state prison. The defendants were ordered to pay fines and restitution as part of their punishment as well. In March of 2006, the Tulare County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging the three defendants with multiple counts of conspiracy, identity theft, burglary, and credit card fraud. In addition, Edward Murrietta and Laura Sanchez were charged with possession of methamphetamine for sale and Murrietta was also charged with felon in possession of ammunition. The Porterville investigation was led by TCSO Detective Genaro Pinon. Assisting agencies included Porterville Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspector. Detectives uncovered the identity theft ring when multiple victims reported unauthorized changes of address, letters from merchants like Lowe's and Zales about unauthorized lines of credit opened in their names, and other fraudulent activity on various financial accounts. The defendants purchased more than $10,000 using victims’ accounts at Lowe’s alone. Detectives found thousands of dollars of Lowe's merchandise including drill sets, gazebos, electrical cord, power tools, and an $800 washer and dryer at the defendants’ homes. The searches also revealed hundreds of pieces of stolen mail belonging to nearly one hundred different individuals and businesses. Laura Sanchez Murrieta's computers contained online orders for background searches on the victims, online orders for products ordered in the victims' names, scanned and altered checks, and fake IDs with Edward Murrieta’s picture and the victims’ personal identifying information. Surveillance video at Lowe's showed Adolfo Rojas picking up items purchased with the victims' accounts. Laura Sanchez Murrietta's stole more than thirty patient history forms from her previous employer. The patient history forms contained the personal identifying information of many of the victims later used to open unauthorized accounts by the defendants. Laura Sanchez Murrietta and Edward Murrietta also had over 13 grams of methamphetamine stashed in the house, a floor safe, and a vehicle as well as several boxes of ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, Murrietta was prohibited from possessing such ammunition. Adolfo Rojas was sentenced on a separate case involving transportation of methamphetamine as well. Edward Murrietta and Laura Sanchez were also sentenced on a separate identity theft case stemming from an incident in January of 2006 while the two were out on bail in the first case. In that case, the two defendants obtained the credit card and driver's license of a 95-year-old woman confined to a convalescent home. The two were caught on surveillance tape at Target purchasing nearly $1,000 worth of merchandise including a $400 vacuum cleaner and bath towels with the victim's credit card. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Nichols. For questions, please contact Assistant District Attorney Carol Turner at 733-6411