California man sentenced in $1.5M food truck scam

A Ceres man was sentenced Friday to 20 years in state prison for defrauding 44 people out of more than $1.5 million in a food truck scheme, according to a report by Modesto Bee.

Fernando Ochoa Jauregui, 30, was sentenced in Stanislaus County Superior Court after pleading no contest to 18 felony counts of obtaining money by false pretenses and one count of attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime. Judge Ruben Villalobos also ordered Jauregui to pay $1,537,215.78 in restitution to his victims.

Between June 2020 and April 2024, victims contracted with Jauregui to buy, build, customize, or repair food trucks and trailers, predominantly paying thousands of dollars in cash. Prosecutors said Jauregui targeted vulnerable individuals such as undocumented immigrants, who saved for years to start or expand their businesses. Most never received the vehicles they ordered or their money back.

"What happened here is that individuals, who were seeking a better life, figured out how to turn pennies into dollars, turn dollars into life savings, and life savings into dreams," Villalobos said during sentencing. "And that dream has turned into a nightmare."

Jauregui's total sentence includes three years for the principal fraud count, consecutive eight-month terms for 18 additional counts, and a five-year white-collar crime enhancement. He was awarded 1,856 days of custody credit.

Including separate cases involving check fraud and domestic violence, Jauregui owes a total of $1,558,693.31 in restitution.