School District Employee Arrested for Embezzlement
On 12/02/2022 Coalinga Officers were contacted by employees from the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District regarding an employee allegedly embezzling over $30,000.00 of district funds. CHUSD began investigating the issue several months ago after fellow employees reported possible inaccuracies in the accounts. Further investigation was completed, and the suspect was identified as Coalinga resident Rafael Guzman Garcia, an Accounting Specialist for the school district.
Garcia was immediately placed on Administrative Leave by the school district pending the outcome of the investigation. With the assistance of the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, multiple search warrants were written and served at various businesses to track Garcia’s purchases.
When interviewed about the crime, Garcia eventually confessed that he had embezzled the school funds and an arrest warrant was later issued. On July 3, 2023, Garcia turned himself in at the Coalinga Police Department and was arrested for the active felony warrant for the charge of Misappropriation of Funds by a Trustee of Public Funds. Garcia was later transported and booked into the Fresno County Jail.
Updates will be made as more information becomes available.
