Press Release Date:
September 8, 2011
VENTURA , California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit has filed a felony complaint against Juan Alvarado Cervantes (DOB: 01/31/1962, AKA: Juan Alvarado) of Fontana , California . The felony complaint charges Alvarado with one count of residential burglary and one count of grand theft.
The charges filed against Alvarado arise out of a fraudulent home foreclosure rescue program that targeted predominantly monolingual Spanish-speaking residents of Ventura County facing foreclosure of their homes. Alvarado is accused of coming into Ventura County and entering the home of an Oxnard resident who was struggling to make her monthly mortgage payment. After Alvarado entered the victim’s home, he collected thousands of dollars in upfront fees while falsely promising to save the victim’s home from foreclosure. In reality, Alvarado completed no actual services for the victim who eventually lost her home in foreclosure.
On September 8, 2011, following his arrest by the Fontana Police Department, Alvarado was transported to the Ventura County jail. The arrest and prosecution of Alvarado is the result of a long-term investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit into suspicious home foreclosure rescue schemes being perpetrated on Ventura County residents.
Alvarado’s bail was set at $100,000. If convicted, Alvarado faces a maximum sentence of six years, eight months in state prison. Individuals who believe they may have been victimized by Alvarado or others working with him may contact the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit at (805) 662-1750 to file a complaint.
Contact:
Dominic Kardum, Deputy District Attorney
(805)662-1739