Man Convicted of Defrauding Elderly

A Stockton man has been convicted in Sonoma County Superior Court of stealing the checking account information of an 84-year-old Sonoma woman and two Petaluma residents last year.

District Attorney Jill Ravitch said Clifford Gabriel Ayala, 39, faces nine years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Gary Medvigy on July 12.

Ayala was convicted of three counts of identity theft, Ravitch said. He was on parole when he committed the offenses, Ravitch said.

The Sonoma woman discovered two counterfeit checks for $2,400 and $2,800 made out to Ayala, whom she never met, were written against her checking account on Dec. 1, Deputy District Attorney Robin Hammond said.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office learned during its investigation and arrest of Ayala that there was a counterfeit check in the amount of $1,846.36 from a Petaluma couple's checking account on Nov. 23, Hammond said.

It's unknown how Ayala obtained the victims' bank account information, Ravitch said.

Bay City News