Culver City Parolee Arrested in San Bernardino on Identity Theft Charges

CULVER CITY, CA -- A Culver City parolee was arrested along with another man Thursday night in San Bernardino on suspicion of identity theft, authorities said.

Jason Franz Gonzales, 41, of Carson and Nivelyn Gaces Ortal, 31, of Culver City were found in possession of a stolen car, a gun, drugs, a credit-card machine and several phony IDs, according to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department.

Deputies found the car at around 10:15 p.m. Thursday at a motel's handicapped parking spot without a placard, authorities said. The car allegedly belonged to a rental car company and had stolen plates, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies contacted the room associated with the car and discovered both Gonzales and Ortal were on felony probations from Los Angeles County. In a subsequent search for the room, deputies found drugs, a gun, credit-card making machine, fake IDs and the credit-card information from 30 victims, according to the sheriff's department.

Both suspects were arrested on booked on suspicion of identity theft, conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance while armed and other charges.

-- Photo courtesy of the SBSD