Gilberto Barron, 26, pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud and other felonies in a $10 million scheme involving a federal inmate from Clovis.

According to court records, in 2021 and 2022, Barron and others conspired with inmate Seth Depiano, 44, formerly of Clovis, to commit multiple frauds.

U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced the plea in a news release.

Details of the Real Estate Scheme

At the time, Depiano was serving a 12-year prison sentence for a prior, multimillion-dollar fraud. Depiano, assisted by Barron and others, helped create fake identities for fake real estate agents and shell companies that mirrored the names of legitimate companies, prosecutors said.

They used those fake identities and shell companies to market properties online that weren’t for sale to would-be buyers at discounted prices. This included properties of people who were dead.

Barron and his crew would meet with the buyers using the fake identities and close the sales with fabricated deeds, title reports, and other real estate documents.

Depiano, Barron, and others laundered their ill-gotten gains primarily through Las Vegas casinos. For example, Barron and others would 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 proceeds from their cons, prosecutors said. With the money “washed,” they used it to buy properties.

Barron, a former resident of Delano and Las Vegas, is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston.

He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering. He also faces a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft.

Sentences for the Co-Conspirators

Zahria Barber, 28, of Las Vegas, received one year in prison Monday for her involvement in the crimes. She helped launder money in exchange for payments for living expenses and student loans, prosecutors said..

Depiano received nine years in prison at his January sentencing. That was in addition to the 12 years he already was serving.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistance came from the FBI and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.