Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces additional indictments against Elvis Guzman, age 44, of Paterson, New Jersey, for his role in "Grandparent Scams" targeting elderly New Hampshire residents. The additional indictments were returned by Grand Juries in Hillsborough County-Southern District, Cheshire County, Merrimack County, and Hillsborough County-Northern District.

Hillsborough County-Southern District Indictments

On May 20, 2021, the Hillsborough County-Southern District Grand Jury returned indictments against Mr. Guzman charging him with one class A felony count of theft by deception as principal/accomplice and one class A felony count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception. The theft by deception indictment alleges that on or about October 29, 2020, in Nashua, New Hampshire, Mr. Guzman, acting in concert with and/or aided by Starlyn Lara Pimental and/or other, unknown persons obtained or exercised control over $18,000 cash, property of J.H., age 76, by deception, and with a purpose to deprive J.H. thereof, by creating the false impression, which Guzman, Pimental, and the other unknown persons did not believe to be true, that J.H.'s grandchild was arrested and subject to bail in the amount of $18,000.

The conspiracy indictment alleges that on or about November 3, 2020, Mr. Guzman, with a purpose that the crime of theft by deception be committed, a crime defined by statute, agreed with one or more unknown coconspirators to commit or cause the commission of the crime of theft by deception, in an aggregate amount in excess of $1,500, and certain overt acts were committed by one or more of the conspirators, in furtherance of the conspiracy. These overt acts include, but are not limited to, an unknown coconspirator calling D.C. and telling D.C. one or more of the following: 

• D.C.'s child was involved in a car accident; and/or
• D.C.'s child injured other people as a result of the accident; and/or
• D.C.'s child was arrested; and/or
• D.C.'s child was subject to an order to pay bail; and/or
• The bail order required payment of $36,000 and/or $27,000 cash for release of D.C.'s child.

Mr. Guzman is scheduled to be arraigned on these indictments in the Hillsborough County Superior Court – Southern District, on June 24, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.

Cheshire County Indictments

On May 24, 2021, the Cheshire County Grand Jury returned two class A felony indictments charging Mr. Guzman with one count of theft by deception as principal/accomplice, and one count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception. The theft by deception indictment alleges that in Keene, New Hampshire, on or about November 2, 2020, Mr. Guzman, acting in concert with and/or aided by other, unknown persons obtained or exercised control over $18,000 cash, property of J.B., age 86, in the amount of $18,000, by deception, and with a purpose to deprive J.B. thereof, by creating the false impression, which Guzman and the other unknown persons did not believe to be true, that J.B.'s grandchild was arrested and subject to bail in the amount of $18,000.

The conspiracy indictment alleges that in Keene, New Hampshire, on and between November 2, 2020, and November 4, 2020, Mr. Guzman, with a purpose that the crime of theft by deception be committed, a crime defined by statute, agreed with Starlyn Lara Pimental and/or one or more unknown coconspirators to commit or cause the commission of the crime of theft by deception, in an aggregate amount in excess of $1,500, and certain overt acts were committed by one or more of the conspirators, in furtherance of the conspiracy. These overt acts include, but are not limited to, an unknown coconspirator calling J.B. and telling J.B. one or more of the following:

• J.B.'s grandchild was in an accident; and/or
• J.B.'s grandchild was arrested; and/or
• J.B.'s grandchild was subject to an order to pay bail; and/or
• The bail order required payment of $18,000 cash for release; and/or
• A "gag order" was in place prohibiting J.B. from speaking about the charges.

Mr. Guzman is scheduled to be arraigned on these charges in the Cheshire County Superior Court on June 30, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.

Merrimack County Indictments 

On May 27, 2021, the Merrimack County Grand Jury returned two indictments against Mr. Guzman charging him with two class A felony counts of theft by deception, as principal/accomplice. One indictment alleges that Mr. Guzman, in Salisbury, New Hampshire, on or about October 29, 2020, acting in concert with and/or aided by Starlyn Lara Pimental, and/or other unknown persons, obtained or exercised control over $12,000 cash, property of B.H., age 81, by deception and with a purpose to deprive B.H. thereof, by creating the false impression, which Guzman, Pimental and the other unknown persons did not believe to be true, that B.H.'s grandchild was arrested and subject to bail in the amount of $12,000.

The other indictment alleges that Mr. Guzman, in Concord, on or about October 27, 2020, acting in concert with and/or aided by other, unknown persons, obtained or exercised control over $15,000 cash, property of J.S., age 82, by deception, and with a purpose to deprive J.S. thereof, by creating the false impression, which Guzman and the other unknown persons did not believe to be true, that J.S.'s grandchild was arrested and subject to bail in the amount of $15,000.

Mr. Guzman is scheduled to be arraigned on these indictments in the Merrimack County Superior Court on June 30, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.

Hillsborough County-Northern District Indictment

On June 3, 2021, the Hillsborough County-Northern District Grand Jury returned one class A felony indictment charging Mr. Guzman with one count of theft by deception, as principal/accomplice. The indictment alleges that Mr. Guzman, in Manchester, New Hampshire, on or about October 28, 2020, acting in concert with and/or aided by other, unknown persons obtained or exercised control over $24,000 cash, property of P.K., age 85, by deception, and with a purpose to deprive P.K. thereof, by creating the false impression, which Guzman and the other unknown persons did not believe to be true, that P.K.'s grandchild was arrested and subject to bail in the amount of $24,000.

An arraignment date has not yet been scheduled by the Hillsborough County Superior Court – Northern District.

Mr. Guzman faces a maximum penalty on each of the indictments of 7 ½ - 15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison and a $4,000 fine. The charges and allegations against Mr. Guzman are merely accusations, and Mr. Guzman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Investigator Calice Couchman-Ducey of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigated this case with the assistance of the New Hampshire State Police, and the following police departments: Keene, Concord, Manchester, Merrimack and Nashua. The United States Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation also assisted in the investigation.

Assistant Attorney General Bryan J. Townsend, II, of the Attorney General's Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit is prosecuting this case. 

If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse or financial exploitation, please contact your local police department or the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (1-800-949-0470).