Thread: 5 Arrested For Making Fake IDs For Illegal Immigrants

The following story is from the News-Record, a weekly newspaper in Raeford, NC.

http://www.thenews-journal.com/

By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer

A customer of an alleged major illegal identification mill operating in the heart of Raeford that was busted last week was apparently a dedicated worker. The Hispanic man even received an “employee of the month” appreciation plaque from an out-of-town poultry plant where he was employed, according to detective Lt. Pete Monteiro of the Raeford Police Department.

“There was only one problem,” Monteiro said. “The name on the plaque did not legitimately match the man’s true identify. His identity was stolen, and the man’s identification cards were phony.

“However, the award was real, and it was true the man was a hard worker.”

As a wave of ID fraud is being battled by law enforcement officers across the nation, the Raeford Police has joined the fight. The department recently arrested five Mexican nationals residing near McLauchlin Park.

Each is being held on $800,000 bond in the custody of Hoke County Jail, with a total of 270 criminal offenses levied against them.

For $1,200, a set of fake IDs was purchased from the ID thieves. The ID ring would arrange to meet a prospective customer at a private location, providing them with enough IDs to obtain work and government benefits — even car insurance if they needed it, Monteiro said.

“This is our first major bust for identification fraud in Raeford,” Raeford police chief Kevin Locklear said. “They were operating right under our noses. We had a tip that led to the arrests.

“There are millions and millions of dollars being lost by people entering our country without visas, who are illegally obtaining major credit cards and checks in someone else’s name that they cash after forging signatures.

“It is the first step for primarily Hispanic people crossing the Mexican border to get identification documents so they can have jobs and illegally receive Medicaid and other benefits.”

During a raid conducted on November 29, forty fraudulent IDs were confiscated at several residences in the 500 block of East Edinborough Avenue. Cash and other items used for printing were also found.

“The house where we executed the search warrant was just packed with people living there in cramped circumstances,” Locklear said. “It was a bad situation.

“There were three or four beds in a room.”

Juan Robles Mendez, 23, Quintin Sanchez Rodriguez, 20, Gabriel Canuto Marcelino, 41, Jose Manuel Sosa Godinez, 26, Dionicio Hernandez Hernandez, 32, all of East Edinborough Avenue, were each charged with 19 counts of identification fraud, 19 counts of common law forgery, 25 counts of trafficking false identifications, one count of conspiracy, plus other charges. As illegal aliens, they will be deported by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service if they are convicted of the charges, according to Locklear.

Forged documents included bogus names, as well as authentic names of people’s whose identities had been stolen. Some of the customers worked at local poultry plants. Counterfeit items included N.C. identification cards, social security cards, registered aliens cards and other documents.

The suspects are charged with 270 counts of selling counterfeit identifications, according to Monteiro.

This is considered “a tip in the iceberg” in ID theft that could be occurring locally, Locklear added.

“We have received phone calls from as far away as California from people who received W-2 forms from the IRS, saying they worked in Raeford,” Locklear said. “’Where is Raeford? I have never been to Raeford,’ they say.”

Monteiro and Lt. G.D. Gwin say this trend impacts people legitimately applying for unemployment benefits, social security and even disability.

“It used to be people illegally entering the country from Mexico just wanted to work here,” Monteiro said. “Now, they are also stealing checks that belong to innocent victims and obtaining credit cards they never plan to pay when the bills roll in.

“Some of the identifications that contain the same name are used by multiple people.”

Locklear commended the time that Monteiro, Quinn and other officers devoted during a 36-hour, nonstop period to make the arrests.

“They put in at least 50 hours on this investigation,” Locklear said. “I also want to thank the U.S. Secret Service and the Parkton and St. Pauls police departments for helping us to translate.

“I cannot praise them enough for the hard work in breaking this case.”
Locklear said until the U.S. government determines if temporary work permits will be legally dispensed to out-of-country workers, he anticipates the problem of ID theft will continue.

When you get the social security earnings sheet before your birthday every year check and see if you have been working for Frank Purdue.

Good idea, Jim. Also check your credit info yearly.


Glad to see you're settled in ok.