Graton Resort & Casino Theft Report Leads to Multiple Copper Wire Theft Arrests
ROHNERT PARK, CA — “On July 29, 2026, a patrol deputy was dispatched to the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park for a reported theft. The deputy learned that a lock securing a construction site had been cut and approximately $20,000 worth of copper electrical wire had been stolen. While on scene, the deputy was also informed of two previously unreported thefts which occurred on July 22, 2026. Approximately $25,000 worth of additional electrical wire and $30,000 worth of copper plumbing pipe had been stolen.
After reviewing security camera footage, the deputy determined that two men dressed as construction workers entered and exited the construction site in a white GMC pickup truck with its license plates removed.
The case was then assigned to detectives with the Property Crimes Investigations (PCI) Unit. Through their investigation, detectives were able to identify the GMC pickup truck used by the suspects.
On August 6, 2026, PCI detectives conducted surveillance of the GMC truck and the suspects near a construction site in the City of Napa. Detectives contacted the Napa Police Department (NPD) Special Enforcement Unit (SEU). Detectives learned that the same construction site had reported copper thefts on July 2 and July 10, 2026, where approximately $65,000 worth of copper wire and pipes had been stolen. NPD’s investigation determined that a white GMC Sierra with two men dressed as construction workers had been captured on security footage at the site. This matched the vehicle and suspect descriptions from the Graton Resort & Casino thefts.
In partnership with NPD, PCI detectives continued surveillance and observed the two men were in the construction site with power tools consistent with cutting copper. Detectives and officers could hear cutting and the sound of copper pipes hitting the ground. As the suspects left the construction site, officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle.
The passenger, later identified as 41-year-old Abel Gomez Moreno of Madera, attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody by NPD officers following a brief struggle. The driver, later identified as 24-year-old Fray Juan Barbosa Villanueva of San Jose, attempted to reverse the vehicle to escape but mistakenly shifted it into neutral, allowing detectives to take him into custody without anyone being injured.
Both suspects were arrested and booked by NPD on the following charges:
• Felony PC 487(j) – Grand Theft of Stolen Copper Materials
• Felony PC 182(a)(1) – Conspiracy to Commit a Crime
• Felony PC 459 – Second-Degree Burglary
• Felony PC 69(a) – Obstructing/Resisting an Executive Officer
• Misdemeanor PC 148(a)(1) – Obstructing/Resisting a Public/Peace Officer or Emergency Medical Technician
Barbosa Villanueva was additionally booked on two misdemeanor warrants.
NPD SEU requested a bail enhancement for both suspects, which was granted. Both suspects were later released on their own recognizances.
Detectives are seeking additional charges for the crimes committed in Sonoma County.
This investigation highlights the value of interagency cooperation in identifying and apprehending suspects responsible for organized thefts targeting construction sites.”
