Feds crush California illegal migrants in pre-dawn raid after busting scam ripping off taxpayers

Federal agents captured four alleged illegal migrants wanted for credit fraud in Orange County and Long Beach Thursday morning, including one man who almost made a surprise getaway in his car.

The California Post was there as officers armed with drones and guns swarmed Abel Ávila Martínez, 48, of Buena Park, a Mexican national who previously was removed from the US in 1999 and allegedly used fake social security numbers to run up thousands in bogus debt.

A US Homeland Security Investigations team used high-flying drones to secretly track him as he exited his home before dawn and walked about a quarter mile to a car parked in his quiet Orange County neighborhood.

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About 20 agents in tactical gear pounced on Ávila Martínez as he entered the vehicle and prepared to drive away, rushing to block his car with unmarked cars of their own and calling for him to surrender.

“Put your hands up and don’t move,” called one HSI agent as the feds suddenly blasted Ávila Martínez with searchlights and pointed their guns his way. He complied, raising both arms as agents approached his vehicle and placed him in handcuffs.

Ávila Martínez is charged with using fake social security numbers to fraudulently apply for credit at retailers and online payment services, racking up at least $15,964 in debt for purchases he made using the fake ID numbers, including a $1,185 buy at Guitar Center, according to court papers.

He filed for bankruptcy in May of last year in an attempt to discharge the debt – and admitted in his court filing to using a phony social security number to apply for the credit, alerting the feds to his scam.

Ávila Martínez was one of at least three alleged illegal migrants arrested in the wide-ranging takedown base in investigations that in the case of each suspect were triggered by the use of a phony social security number.

“This sweep resulted in the arrest of illegal aliens charged with stealing Americans’ Social Security numbers to obtain credit, run up debt, and then seek to erase over $140,000 through bankruptcy,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli.

“These defendants allegedly exploited both our financial system and the bankruptcy process,” he added.

Each of those charged face up to 15 years in federal prison.

The other alleged fraudsters arrested by HSI Thursday include:

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According to court papers, Castellanos-Pérez is a Mexican national who scammed a Best Buy credit card with a $2,000 limit that he used in 2023 to purchase an appliance at a Best Buy store in Compton for $1,206.

Chávez-Cabello, a Guatemalan national, used a bogusly obtained MyPremier credit card with a credit limit of $1,000 to make purchases and cash withdrawals totaling $1,238 from 2022 to 2023, court papers state.

And Mexican national Verónica Espinosa-Cortés used a fraudulently obtained Daniel’s Jewelers credit card to make a $1,000 purchase at the store in Culver City, investigators say.

A fifth defendant, Mexican national Moisés Ortuño-Claras, 47, of Anaheim, evaded capture Thursday and remains at large. HSI agents are pursuing his case.