Orange County - Orange County Register reports that a Tustin man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 31 years and four months in prison for identity theft of many people and using them to buy properties.
Gene Franklin, 34, was also charged with fraud for getting out of jail and fled to Mexico before the trial.
Franklin was convicted of 46 felony counts including identity theft, resisting arrest, failure to appear on a felony while on bail. His bail was $2.8 million.
In late 2006, Franklin used someone else identity and bought a $685,000 Huntington Beach home under that person's name.
In January 2007, Franklin was trying to buy a $310,000 boat using another person's identity.
In April, 2007, Franklin was arrested after a SWAT standoff at his Huntington Beach home. He had $1 million bail.
From jail, Franklin contacted a former girlfriend, Iris Orozco, and told her if she could help him to get out of jail, he would marry her.
In Oct, 2007, Franklin posted $1 million bail and ran away to Mexico with Orozco by using fraudulent documents from transferring the properties.
Police found him later in Mexico and brought him back to Orange County.
