PRESS RELEASE 03/04/15 FORMER TULARE COUNTY EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR THEFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND WELFARE FRAUD Yvonne Hernandez (41 years of age) was arrested on February 27, 2015, at her home in Lemoore by investigators of the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare, with the assistance of the Lemoore Police Department. Hernandez was booked at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility where she was arraigned and her bail was set at $200,000. Hernandez is charged in case number VCF313690 with 21 felony counts of violating Penal Code section 424(a), embezzlement of public moneys for personal use, and seven felony counts of Welfare and Institutions Code section 10980(b), establishing accounts and applying for aid for a nonexistent person. Charges are the result of a three-year investigation by the Office of the District Attorney that stem from time that Hernandez was employed by the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency in 2011. These charges allege Hernandez collected more than $9,000.00 from the fraudulent accounts she created during the course of her employment. The maximum penalty for Hernandez is 28 years, 8 months in state prison. Hernandez returns to court on March 9, 2015, in Department 5 for a preliminary hearing conference and a bail hearing to be heard by the Honorable Joseph Kalashian. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 10, 2015, in Department 4 with the Honorable Brett Alldredge. Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare Assistant District Attorney Anthony Fultz (559) 636-5494