LOMA LINDA – Law enforcement authorities are still seeking a man who is suspected of fraudulently renting property to people under false pretenses.
Justin John Depolis, 35, of Corona is also suspected of stealing identity information from at least four possible victims.
The case started developing on March 5 when San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Bernabe Ortiz became aware that Depolis was using craigslist.com, an internet site, to list advertisements.
Depolis is being sought on charges of identity theft, fraud via computer system, burglary and theft via false pretenses, according to police reports.
Various victims have been reported, including a Walmart located in Loma Linda.
Ortiz responded from the county sheriff’s Central Station in Loma Linda when it was alleged that Depolis was found to be using the MoneyGram Money Transfer Service located inside the Walmart.
Depolis had been placing an internet advertisement to rent out a home located on Emerald Street. Using the craigslist.com site, Ortiz said Depolis was able to connect with various victims willing to rent the home.
The home, said Ortiz, “does not belong to Depolis and he was never given permission to rent the address out.”
The reporting party, said Ortiz, “sent Depolis money over MoneyGram to secure the property and spent thousands of dollars to move to California only to find he had been the victim of fraud.”
Depolis, said Ortiz, also obtained personal identity information from the victim deemed under false pretenses. He is suspected of similar crimes in various other cities, including in Orange County.
Deputies have discovered at least four additional victims. Ortiz said, “Deputies have not been able to locate or contact Depolis at this time.”
Deputies, who are hoping to obtain additional information from other possible victims, have been investigating the case for several weeks.
