Huntington Beach man accused of faking engineering documents for construction projects throughout Southern California

A Huntington Beach man is facing dozens of felony charges in Los Angeles County in connection with what authorities allege was a years-long scheme in which he and another man created fake engineering documents and used the name and logo of a real engineering firm to appear legitimate.

Authorities allege that between 2003 and 2014, Ruben Gutierrez, 44, and Wilfrido Rodriguez, 46, of Downey prepared fraudulent structural engineering plans, reports and other documents that used Palos Verdes Engineering Co.’s name and logo to make them appear as though they had been prepared, reviewed and approved by a licensed civil engineer.

The plans were prepared for construction projects throughout Southern California, including residential room additions, new single-family homes and two-story duplexes, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Gutierrez and Rodriguez were arrested Tuesday at their homes and are being held in Los Angeles County Jail. Gutierrez’s bail was set at $7.16 million.

Gutierrez and Rodriguez, who previously were architectural and engineering drafters for Palos Verdes Engineering, are accused of using software stolen from the Rolling Hills Estates-based company to carry out the scheme, police said.

“Due to the fact Rodriguez and Gutierrez are not licensed professional civil engineers, structures built based on their engineering calculations and specifications may be unsafe and not suitable for habitation,” the Sheriff’s Department wrote in a 2016 news release.

Gutierrez and Rodriguez have been charged with multiple counts of grand theft, forgery and identity theft, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.

The Sheriff’s Department’s fraud and cyber crimes bureau served 65 search warrants and identified more than 735 potential victims as part of the investigation, according to the department.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN