Police: Two Santa Rosa residents arrested on suspicion of identity theft

A Santa Rosa woman described by authorities as a “necessary” identity theft suspect was arrested as part of an investigation that began last month.

Melissa Gutierrez, 40, was arrested around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of numerous criminal offenses, according to Santa Rosa police.

According to police, these crimes include conspiracy, forgery, possession of counterfeit checks, possession of blank checks for the purpose of fraud, car theft and identity theft involving more than ten victims.

A second suspect, 50-year-old Marc Boyce of Santa Rosa, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy, forgery and identity theft.

No charges had been filed against either suspect as of Wednesday evening.

An investigation began May 20 when police received a report of a rented U-Haul that had not been returned to an office in the 1000 block of Hopper Avenue, police said.

Investigators concluded that the vehicle had been rented using a fake ID card containing information belonging to an identity theft victim.

Officers stopped the vehicle at the corner of Guerneville Road and Cleveland Avenue at around 5:30 p.m. on May 21.

Police said the driver was not involved in the theft but did not provide any information on how he got the vehicle.

Investigators used surveillance footage from unspecified locations to identify Gutierrez as a suspect.

According to police, they searched her home in the 2000 block of Pioneer Way and arrested her and Boyce.

They found “extensive evidence” of check fraud, document forgery and identity theft with personal data from more than 100 victims, police said.

Officials added that evidence, including receipts and records, suggested the suspects used a victim’s information to commit check fraud five hours before their arrest.

Police said Gutierrez has multiple fraud and theft cases pending against him in Sonoma County Superior Court in Santa Rosa. They include a November arrest for check fraud and information on more than 20 victims, police said.

“Gutierrez was still in possession of much of these victims’ information when she was arrested on June 5, 2024,” police wrote in a press release Wednesday. “Although she was released on bail for this offense, she continued to use these victims’ identities to commit additional fraud.”

Reach staff writer Colin Atagi at [email protected]. Follow on Twitter @colin_atagi