Central Valley Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in $10 Million Real Estate Fraud Scheme with Federal Inmate Who Was Serving a Sentence for Another Fraud Scheme

FRESNO, Calif. - Gilberto Barron, 26, formerly of Delano and Las Vegas, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in a nearly $10 million real estate fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

According to court records, in 2021 and 2022, Barron and others conspired with federal inmate Seth Depiano, 44, formerly of Clovis, to commit the fraud charged in this case. At the time, Depiano was serving a 12-year prison sentence for a prior, multimillion-dollar fraud (Case No. 1:17-cr-172 DAD). Depiano, assisted by Barron and others, helped create fake identities for supposed real estate agents and shell companies that mirrored the names of legitimate real estate companies. They then used the fake identities and shell companies to market various properties online that were not actually for sale to would-be buyers in California's Central Valley and elsewhere at discounted prices. This included properties where the actual owners had died.

Barron and others would meet with the buyers using the fake identities and close the sales. They even went so far as to present the buyers with fabricated deeds, title reports, and other real estate documents to substantiate the sales.

After getting the would-be buyers' money, Depiano, Barron, and others would launder the funds primarily through Las Vegas casinos. For example, Barron and others would travel to the casinos, put large amounts of money into gaming machines, and quickly cash out with little to no gaming activity. They did this to try to hide the fact that the money was proceeds from their fraudulent scheme. They would then use the money to purchase properties for their own benefit.

Barron is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Barron faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for the counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years consecutive for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Zahria Barber, 28, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today to one year in prison for her involvement in the scheme. She helped launder money in the casinos, and in exchange, she received payments toward some of her living expenses and student loans.

Depiano was sentenced in January 2026 and received nine years in federal prison. This sentence is in addition to the 12 years he was already serving and makes for a total sentence of 21 years in prison.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI and the Nevada Attorney General's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.