Ventura County Sheriff – Incident Press Release
On January 7, 2021, detectives with the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) arrested three Los Angeles County residents for Forgery, Possession of a Counterfeit Seal, Identity Theft, Conspiracy to Commit and Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
Detectives with the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit have been investigating a pattern of organized criminal activity committed by Chilean Nationals throughout Ventura County. This pattern of criminal activity includes residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, vehicle burglaries, wallet thefts and fraudulent credit card usage. During these investigations, detectives determined these criminals commonly obtained fraudulent government identifications in order to obtain housing, establish credit, and further their criminal enterprise.
During the month of September 2020, SEU Detectives initiated an investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of fraudulent government identification cards to Chilean Nationals who were actively involved in criminal activity. Detectives determined (S) Carlos Ayala Hernandez was the primary supplier of fraudulent government identification cards. As the investigation progressed, detectives determined Hernandez had a sophisticated criminal network and worked with (S) Miguel Juarez Guerrero and (S) Nestor Perez to manufacture and distribute fraudulent government identification cards.
On January 7, 2021, SEU detectives collaborated with detectives from the Thousand Oaks Investigations Bureau, Directed Enforcement Unit, Intelligence Led Policing Unit, Moorpark Detectives, and agents from Homeland Security Investigations to serve search warrants at residences in the 17000 block of Kingsbury Street in the City of Granada Hills and the 14000 block of Friar Street in the City of Van Nuys.
During the service of the warrant at the Kingsbury Street residence, detectives located and arrested Hernandez, Guerrero and Perez. During the search of that residence, detectives located a large quantity of U.S. currency believed to be the proceeds from illicit activity.
Detectives also located additional evidence linking Hernandez, Guerrero and Perez to criminal activity.
During the service of the warrant at the Friar Street residence, detectives determined that residence was being used for the primary purpose of manufacturing fraudulent documents and government identification cards. Detectives seized a large amount of computers, printers and other materials commonly used to manufacture fraudulent documents.
Hernandez, Guerrero and Perez were booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility for 182(a)(1) PC – Conspiracy to Commit a Crime, 470(b) PC – Forgery, 472 PC – Counterfeit Seal and 530.5(a) PC – Identity Theft. Hernandez was also booked for possession of the stolen firearm. All three arrestees had their bail set at $250,000.
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