Lynn woman charged with fraud for using stolen identity to rent an apartment due back in court Tuesday
BOSTON, May 12, 2025 – A Lynn woman who is facing several fraud related offenses for signing an apartment lease using a stolen identity is due back in court Tuesday, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
CECILIA GUTIERREZ, 28, was charged with identity fraud, forgery of a document, and obtaining goods by false pretense on March 27 in Chelsea District Court. Judge Jane Prince released Guiterrez on personal recognizance. Gutierrez is due back in court Tuesday for a pre-trial hearing.
On November 6, 2024, Revere Police met with a property owner who reported his company was the victim of identity fraud. The victim reported that on June 16, 2024, an unknown woman, later identified as Gutierrez, contacted his company regarding an apartment lease. On June 18, Gutierrez came to the property to view the apartment. That same day, Gutierrez submitted an application bearing a different name along with supporting documents including a driver’s license and paystubs bearing the same name.
The application was approved, and a leasing agreement was entered into on July 1.
Sometime after moving into the apartment, Gutierrez sub-leased the apartment to another person and the two lived together as roommates.
On about August 15, the leasing company was made aware of the fraudulent transaction. A $2,500 rent check written by Gutierrez under her assumed name bounced.
On August 30, the leasing company contacted the victim of the stolen identity, who was completely unaware of the transaction and did not know any of the parties involved.
The total amount of money that was lost was approximately $5,000 which included one month’s worth of rent and the cost to prepare the unit for rental.
With financial exploitation and abuse on the rise, District Attorney Hayden recently launched the Suffolk County Fraud Fighters, a multi-agency effort to help residents, particularly older adults, recognize common scams and signs of financial fraud.
“While we commonly see fraud attempts aimed at individuals, we’re also very aware of people using schemes, including false identification, to target companies and institutions. The technology and methods are always evolving but the basic motive—unjust enrichment or theft of product—remains the same,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications