Ontario Woman Arrested for 1998 Welfare Fraud Case

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ONTARIO – An Ontario woman was arrested after filing a motion to vacate a 1998 welfare fraud conviction San Bernardino County District Attorney officials said.

Raquel Serrano, 55, and her husband Juan Serrano were prosecuted in 1998 for using a false Social Security number in order to collect benefits all while working under her own social security number. The couple was able to collect approximately $40,000 in welfare benefits.

The couple was given a three-year- suspended sentence and they were ordered to pay the money back, complete some jail time, and perform community service. The couple paid back approximately $9000 by 2006 and the judge signed orders to revoke their probation. In doing this, no bail bench warrant was issued for both Raquel and Juan Serrano.

The two managed to avoid arrest, and in 2012 Juan Serrano died. Raquel Serrano continued to reside and work in the City of Ontario, where she purchased a $313,000 home. Serrano may have continued to avoid arrest, but in 2016, she filed a motion to vacate her conviction, claiming that she completed all terms of her probation; including paying restitution fees. The matter was assigned to Deputy District Attorney Grace B. Parsons, who discovered the warrant, revocation of probation, and learned that nearly $31,000 remained outstanding.

“To avoid arrest, Raquel Serrano allegedly used multiple forms of identification for fear that an arrest warrant would be issued in the 1998 case,” Rivera said. Raquel Serrano was arrested at her place of employment, located at 1441 South Carlos Street in the City of Ontario on Tuesday, December 20, 2016. She is being held at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center without bail. She is scheduled to appear at the San Bernardino Superior Court on January 23, 2017.

San Bernardino County District Attorney’s officials said that 2014 welfare fraud cases have been filed totaling $1,571,060.25 in recoverable value.