A Utah man who impersonated federal agents and attorneys to defraud victims of $3.5 million was sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
Santiago Garcia Gutierrez, of Salt Lake City, received a 108-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr. for wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements.
Court documents reveal Garcia’s primary scheme ran from 2018 to 2020. He convinced a single victim to hand over $2.8 million by claiming he was a Department of Homeland Security confidential informant.
Garcia told the victim he could purchase seized luxury cars, planes, and boats at discount prices through government auctions. The assets never existed.
To sell the deception, Garcia texted the victim from multiple phone numbers. He alternately posed as a government informant, federal agent, and even his own attorney.
Between 2019 and 2024, Garcia expanded his fraud to eight additional victims nationwide. This time, he claimed ownership interests in federal oil wells, falsely promising large investment returns.
Victims invested a total of more than $900,000, believing they would profit from oil sales. Garcia instead diverted all funds for personal use while again impersonating his attorney to appear legitimate.
Garcia also failed to pay the required royalties to the federal government on actual oil sales from the wells. This violation added to his mounting legal troubles.
Judge Nielson ordered Garcia to pay $3,795,930.60 in restitution to the victims. He must also forfeit $2,853,789.27 obtained through the schemes.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office and the EPA investigated the case. Tax Division prosecutors Richard M. Rolwing and former Trial Attorney Erika Suhr secured the conviction.