A Santa Rosa identity theft spree has culminated in the arrests of two local residents, Melissa Gutierrez and Marc Boyce, following a string of fraudulent activities spanning over half a year. According to an alert from the Santa Rosa Police Department, released on June 5, the duo has been charged with multiple counts of fraud, identity theft, and related crimes after being found in possession of the personal identifying information of over one hundred victims. Gutierrez's fraudulent enterprise initially caught the police's attention on May 20, when a U-Haul vehicle was reported embezzled after she rented it using a fake ID and failed to return it. The police investigation quickly turned into a pursuit of a sophisticated identity theft ring.
Detectives caught up with the suspect after spotting the stolen U-Haul on Guerneville Road and Cleveland Avenue. Although the driver at the time was not involved in the theft, law enforcement was able to gather further evidence leading to Gutierrez. A surveillance operation pinpointed Gutierrez's usage of a fraudulent ID and a stolen credit card for the initial rental, incriminating her and leading to a search warrant at her residence on Pioneer Way. On June 5, as per the report from the Santa Rosa Police Department, this search culminated in discovery of checks, receipts, and paperwork that implicated both Gutierrez and Boyce in recent check fraud only a day prior.
Gutierrez was no stranger to law enforcement—her rap sheet already included several pending fraud and theft cases in Sonoma County Superior Court. As early as November 2023, she had been apprehended for similar misdeeds but continued to exploit the stolen identities even while on bail for previous charges. The Santa Rosa Police Department's announcement detailed that Gutierrez faces numerous charges including forgery, identity theft with priors, and committing a felony while on bail, among others. Her bail has been set with an enhancement, totaling $150,000.
Boyce, the co-conspirator, was also booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility with charges of conspiracy, forgery, and identity theft, as documented by the Santa Rosa authorities. The police department has taken steps to reach out to the identity theft victims and are continuing to investigate the extent of fraud perpetrated by Gutierrez and Boyce. Detectives remain vigilant, working to uncover any further criminal acts and possible co-conspirators involved in the network.
For more information on this development or to report any related fraudulent activity, individuals are encouraged to contact Sergeant Ryan Hepp at [email protected] or call 707-543-4024. The Santa Rosa Police Department is committed to halting the operations of identity theft rings and ensuring the security of personal information for all citizens.
