On Sept. 19, Valentin Garcia Lopez Jr., 34, was sentenced to serve five years and eight months in California state prison for his role in an investment fraud scheme centered in Simi Valley.

Judge Bruce Clark of Ventura County Superior Court denied Lopez’s request for probation, gave sentence and ordered Lopez to pay restitution to all of his victims.

Lopez committed 17 felonies when he solicited funds in a phony investment, “Archangel Hospice Inc.,” headquartered in Simi Valley. Lopez took the victims’ money and never started the hospice. He was convicted of grand theft, identity theft, making deceptive statements to sell securities, selling unregistered securities and failing to appear in court.

The Simi Valley Police Department investigated the matter.

Between Oct. 3, 2003 and Sept. 11, 2004 Lopez defrauded five investors out of more than $145,000. He targeted members of the Filipino community and a co-worker at a hospice.

Lopez also committed identify theft with the personal information of one victim.

After charges were filed against Lopez, the suspect fled to Texas and failed to appear in court. He was extradited to California by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.