PHOENIX -- A Glendale man has been indicted on charges connected to a mortgage assistance scam he allegedly orchestrated, victimizing at least 10 Valley homeowners facing foreclosure, the Arizona attorney general's office said.

READ: Herrera Indictment

Bobby Herrera, 33, was charged with one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, one count of money laundering, one count of illegal control of an enterprise and five counts of theft.

Herrera was arrested late Tuesday by the Peoria Police Department and is currently in custody.

According to investigators, Herrera solicited struggling homeowners with fraudulent claims that he could modify mortgage terms or provide other assistance to help them prevent foreclosure. Herrera allegedly claimed to have "connections" and expertise negotiating with mortgage lenders to reduce consumers' monthly payments and prevent foreclosure, the attorney general's office said.

In exchange for the services he claimed to provide, investigators said Herrera often charged the victims upfront fees of $1,245.

Herrera allegedly never provided any such mortgage loan modification or foreclosure relief assistance, using the money instead for personal expenses, the attorney general's office said.

"As the number of homeowners facing foreclosure has climbed, so has the number of scam artists seeking to exploit their financial hardship," Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said. "We will aggressively pursue and prosecute anyone who sees struggling homeowners as good targets for fraud."

The attorney general's office began receiving complaints about Herrera on Dec. 3. In response to the concerns raised in complaints, the office initiated a criminal investigation into Herrera's activities.

The Surprise and Peoria police departments assisted in the investigation.

Dozens of potential victims have approached the attorney general's office with similar complaints since a consumer advisory on mortgage assistance scams was released in early December.