Two Women Arrested for Allegedly Targeting Elders with Telephone Scams
– by Jim Emerson
SAN RAFAEL, CA — Two women have been arrested on suspicion targeting elderly victims in Marin County with telephone scams. The suspects are Heydi del Carmen Flores-Arias, 32, and Belkis S. Gutierrez, 35, both residents of Sacramento.
Flores-Arias and Gutierrez are implicated in scams involving the theft of $19,000 from an 89-year-old victim, and $16,000 from a 95-year-old victim. These thefts occurred this year in July and November 2024.
Both victims were contacted by phone and told that a loved one was in jail for a DUI. Next a “courier” was sent to the victims’ homes to collect cash purportedly to pay bail. Conned victims soon learn their loved one was neither arrested nor booked into jail.
“Investigators were able to connect two cases to a residence in Sacramento,” said a prepared statement from the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. “These kinds of fraudulent cases are becoming increasingly common.”
Detectives investigating the two reported thefts served a search warrant September 18 at a residence on Corbel Lane in Sacramento. Probable cause was developed to arrest Flores-Arias and Gutierrez, who were escorted to Marin County Jail.
During the search cash was recovered, which investigators believe was stolen from additional victims of similar scams.
Flores-Arias and Gutierrez were each booked on open charges for grand theft and conspiracy to commit crime. However, neither suspect remains listed in Marin County online jail records. Flores-Arias works as a housekeeper and Gutierrez works as a janitor.
