Some months ago, an identity theft ring was uncovered in Santa Clarita, California.
This unique chain of crimes consisted of a woman by the name of Pilar Abalos, (a.k.a. the “Blonde Scammer”) and an accomplice, scouting out blonde women with a similar look to Abalos, and stealing their credit cards.
Card in hand, Abalos would then pretend to be the victim and make large purchases and withdrawls from their bank accounts. To avoid jail time, the “Blonde Scammer” was offered a plea deal by prosecutors looking to close the case.
Now that both Abalos and her accomplice, Valerie Lynne Ray, of Los Angeles, have been arrested, the court proceedings are ongoing. As per the plea deal, Pilar Abalos will not face jail time, but instead be subject to 3 years of felony probation, 50 days of community labor, as well as payment of restitution to the victims.
Ray, on the other hand, was not so lucky. She was sentenced to 3 years in California State Prison last April.
While the identity theft crime spree had victims all over Southern California, including the SCV, it was a Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station detective who made the arrest.
Identity theft is not only serious, but scary. In the age in which we live, just about anyone can fall victim to it who isn’t careful – and even some of those that are! Thanks to the diligent work of Santa Clarita Valley detectives, though, these two have been apprehended and their reign of terror is over.
