Two Men Arrested for Defrauding Farmersville Peace Officers Association of Over $8,000
PORTERVILLE, CA — Two Porterville residents were arrested on Thursday, May 7, 2026, following a multi-week investigation into fraudulent bank account activity targeting a law enforcement non-profit organization.
The Porterville Police Department initiated the fraud investigation on April 24, 2026, after receiving reports of unauthorized transactions originating from a bank account belonging to the Farmersville Peace Officers Association. According to investigators, numerous fraudulent transactions were executed within the city of Porterville over a course of several weeks, accumulating a total financial loss exceeding $8,000.
Through follow-up procedures, digital evidence collection, and search warrants, detectives identified the two primary suspects as 37-year-old Refugio Ortega and 45-year-old Brent Franklin. Investigators subsequently secured arrest warrants for both individuals alongside a residential search warrant for their Porterville home.
During the early morning hours of May 7, detectives executed the search warrant at the residence, where Ortega and Franklin were located and taken into custody without incident. A physical search of the property yielded additional evidence linking the suspects to the initial bank fraud, as well as indications of ongoing, separate fraudulent activities.
The investigation verified that neither suspect has any affiliation or connection to the Farmersville Police Department or the Farmersville Peace Officers Association. Both Ortega and Franklin were transported and booked into the Tulare County Jail on fraud-related charges.
The Porterville Police Department stated that the investigation remains active. Authorities encourage anyone with additional information regarding this case to contact detectives at (559) 782-7400, or to submit tips via the department’s official Facebook or Instagram pages.
