Former Porterville Librarian Arrested on Felony Charges
PORTERVILLE, CA –
“Incident:
Felony Grand Theft
Felony Identity Theft
Felony Elder/Dependent Abuse
Date/Time: March 3, 2024 / 1:45 P.M.
Location: City of Porterville
Victim: 60-year-old, Porterville Resident
Suspect: Vikki Ann Cervantes, 50-year-old, Porterville Resident
On Sunday, March 3, 2024, Officers with the Porterville Police Department responded to a residence located in Porterville, for a report of financial fraud. Officers contacted the elderly victim who reported about a year prior, she had incurred a medical condition that resulted in the necessity for assistance. As a result, the victim solicited help from a friend, whom she identified as Porterville resident, Vikki Cervantes.
As part of the agreement between the victim and Cervantes, Cervantes was granted access to the victim’s bank account to pay the victim’s bills and meet the victim’s other financial obligations. However, it was later discovered that funds from the victim’s bank account were also utilized by Cervantes to pay for her own personal matters, without the victim’s permission or knowledge. These unauthorized expenditures utilized by Cervantes totaled into thousands of dollars in loss to the victim. Detectives with the Porterville Police Department’s General Investigations Unit assumed the investigation.
A yearlong investigation began, where Detectives conducted many witness interviews and authored numerous search warrants in furtherance of their criminal investigation, including a thorough review by the Tulare County District Attorneys Forensic Financial Crimes Unit, thus obtaining additional evidence substantiating Cervantes’ criminal conduct. Detectives also discovered that during the time Cervantes had control of the victim’s bank account, she opened other accounts and continued a sustained pattern of utilizing the victim’s personal funds for unrelated matters without the victim’s knowledge or permission.
Also, at the time of the initial criminal investigation, Cervantes was also employed as the City of Porterville Librarian and as part of this investigation detectives conducted a forensic financial audit of City of Porterville Library funds; however, there is no evidence at this time of any theft of city funds.
The case was submitted to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office for review and ultimately felony charges of Felony Grand Theft, Felony Identity Theft, and Felony Elder Abuse were filed in May 2025. Recently, a felony arrest warrant for Cervantes was issued and Cervantes turned herself in on May 9, 2025, to the Tulare County Superior Court. Cervantes was released on her own recognizance by a Superior Court Judge and is pending arraignment.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Porterville Police Department at (559) 782-7400 or through our departmental Facebook or Instagram page. Those who have information may also provide it anonymously.”
