FILLMORE, Calif. (CBS12) — Arvan Washington III, a Santa Maria resident, was arrested on March 3, 2025, for identity theft, forgery, and multiple charges after attempting to open a bank account with fraudulent documents at the Bank of the Sierra in Fillmore.
At approximately 3:00 P.M., Fillmore Police Department deputies responded to a report of suspicious activity at the bank, where Washington was attempting to open accounts using fraudulent personal identifying documents, including a fake driver’s license, social security numbers, and impersonating someone else.
Bank employees became suspicious and contacted law enforcement. Upon deputies’ arrival, it was discovered that Washington had a lengthy criminal history involving similar identity theft crimes throughout the Lompoc, Ventura, and Santa Paula areas.
During the investigation, deputies found additional evidence including fraudulent documents, stolen checks, fake out-of-state driver licenses, and the personal information of several victims. Washington was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility on multiple charges.
Authorities believe that Washington may be implicated in additional unsolved crimes related to identity theft. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information about Washington or any other related crimes to contact the Fillmore Station Detectives at (805) 524-2234.
