CA Man Boards “Operation Money Train”

According to Monterey County District Attorney Dean D. Flippo, Guillermo Virgen Lopez, of Salinas, pled guilty on Thursday to a felony charge of auto insurance fraud; and it only took until the third day of his jury trial.

As noted by The Californian, Lopez was arrested as part of an undercover operation directed by the California Highway Patrol’s Coastal Investigation Team. His sentencing is set to take place on April 27^th.

“Operation Money Train,” as it is called, was an undercover operation that consisted of numerous agents and investigators from several different agencies, which include the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Cruz County Sheriff, Salinas Police Department, Watsonville Police Department, ATF, FBI and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.

In total, the operation netted 48 suspects. Thirty-seven of those suspects faced or are facing state charges; three faced or are facing federal charges; eight are facing charges in each jurisdiction.

As part of the scheme, Lopez worked with an accomplice, co-defendant David Guzman, to sell vehicles. Once the new owner had picked up the vehicle, the accomplice would report it stolen and then collect on the insurance payout.

Guzman pleaded guilty to insurance fraud on January 12^th.

At the time of his guilty plea, Guzman was already serving a 92-month sentence for a Distribution of Methamphetamine charge, which also emerged after an Operation Money Train investigation.