Mayor arrested on fraud charges

HURON -- The longtime mayor of Huron was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of real estate fraud, receiving stolen property and filing false statements.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said Ramon Dominguez, 62, was arrested at his home about 9 a.m. Wednesday, capping a six-month investigation.

"City officials are not above the law," Mims said at a news conference announcing the arrest.

Dominguez sold land he didn't own to an apostolic church organization, Mims said. The vacant lot is at L and 11th streets in Huron, a farm town with a population of 8,000. The organization lost $29,000 in the deal.

When the Sheriff's Office searched his home, deputies found two computers belonging to the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District, where Dominguez works as a grounds supervisor, Mims said. The school has filed a complaint alleging theft of the computers. School officials could not be reached to comment Wednesday.

Deputies also recovered three sawed-off shotguns at his home, although charges have yet to be filed over the illegal weapons, Mims said.

The Sheriff's Office also served warrants on Huron City Hall, the first time a city hall has been subjected to such a search by deputies in Mims' 26-year career, she said.

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