Until recently, Det. Ron Sabatine, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Real Estate Fraud Bureau, didn’t have much hope that he would be able to arrest a suspect who allegedly defrauded a West Hollywood real estate company out of $1.3 million. The suspect, Alejandro “Alex” Martinez, had fled to Mexico in 2009, and Sabatine knew it would be difficult to find him south of the border.

Alejandro "Alex" Martinez

That is until the suspect posted a video of himself on YouTube promoting a restaurant he owned on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Sabatine found the April 2012 posting during a random search for Martinez on the Internet last January. Formal charges were filed a short time later, and a warrant was issued for Martinez’s arrest. Sabatine began working with the U.S. Marshall’s office on extradition proceedings, but he knew it would likely take some time. However, the suspect unexpectedly flew to Los Angeles on Oct. 8, and agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection held him until Sabatine could make the formal arrest.

“I have no idea why he came back,” Sabatine said. “There is a four-year statute of limitations on these charges and that was up in March. Maybe he thought the statue of limitations was up, but the warrant was issued in January, and once that was issued, we weren’t facing the statue of limitations any more.”

Martinez is charged with four counts of grand theft and two counts of forgery, all felonies. He was arraigned on Oct. 10 and pleaded not guilty, said Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison. Martinez’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 20. He remains in custody at the Men’s Central Jail on $220,000 bail.

Sabatine said the fraud occurred between 2004 and 2009, when Martinez was vice president of Prime West Escrow on Sunset Boulevard. The suspect allegedly stole $1.3 million from the escrow company’s trust account by transferring the money in various increments over time into personal accounts.

Martinez attempted to cover up the theft by forging documents that made it appear as if the transfers were legitimate, Sabatine said. When the company’s bank noticed irregularities in 2009 and notified the owners, they confronted Martinez, he said.

The suspect reportedly claimed a mistake had been made, and he wrote two checks totaling $350,000 to the escrow office to show “good faith” while the matter was resolved. The checks bounced, but the detective said that “bought a couple of days,” during which time Martinez fled to Mexico. The theft was then reported to the sheriff’s department, and Sabatine launched his investigation.

Sabatine said the California Department of Corrections later assumed control of Prime West Escrow after the company ran short of funds, and the company is now closed. He said it is unclear what Martinez did with the money, but it is likely he used it to purchase the restaurant in Mexico, as well as a residence on the Yucatan Peninsula for $250,000.

“We don’t know exactly what happened to all of the money,” Sabatine added. “It’s highly possible the money he stole was used to lease or buy those properties.”

Sabatine said he always surmised Martinez had fled to Mexico because other people who worked with him at the escrow company said the suspect had repeatedly told them his dream was to move there someday and start a coffee house or restaurant. Sabatine found the YouTube video after checking the Internet and finding a review about a restaurant — Café La Boheme — on Yelp. The reviewer mentioned the owners, Chris and Alex, and Sabatine said he knew Martinez’s “significant other” was named Chris. He then clicked on a link from the Yelp website to the YouTube video.

“I immediately recognized him,” Sabatine said. “The warrant was issued and I began working with the U.S. Marshalls on extradition.”

Sabatine said he was surprised Martinez would post a video of himself, and added that it illustrates how easily someone can be found on the Internet.

“I can say I have found people on Facebook and other social media sites, but I didn’t think I would ever find somebody through a video on YouTube,” Sabatine said.

The other lucky break was Martinez’s unexpected return to Los Angeles.

“[Extradition] would have been a long, arduous process,” Sabatine added. “He did us a big favor.”

Anyone with information about the fraud is asked to contact Sabatine at (818)576-8871.