Posted on 05/20/2005 6:02:20 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Eleven members of a California-based Mexican gang, including nine illegal aliens, have been charged with defrauding a bank out of more than $40,000 by using fake IDs made with picture cell phone images, federal authorities said Friday.
In wrapping up the investigation dubbed "Operation Snapshot" in western Virginia, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said the gang is responsible for bilking banks in at least eight states out of an estimated $50 million.
"Investigators have determined these 11 defendants are members of one cell of a major Mexican organization that has operated in several states, including Tennessee, California, Nebraska, Colorado, Montana, Arizona and Washington," said Brownlee.
The defendants, he said, were allegedly sent from California to Knoxville, Tenn., and told to await orders. There, Brownlee said, they used a picture cell phone to create phony IDs before they traveled to Virginia.
He said authorities believe the cell phone images were transmitted to California, where the fake IDs were made and then sent back to Tennessee.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Roanoke alleges the men stole payroll checks during a March 4 burglary at Scott-Gallaher Inc., a Botetourt County construction company. Brownlee said the company was unaware the checks had been stolen because they were taken from the bottom of the pile.
Using the fake IDs, the men began cashing payroll checks for amounts ranging from $900 to $1,000 at several branches of the Bank of Botetourt in Roanoke and Botetourt County after 5 p.m. on March 4, according to the indictment. When they tried again on March 7, 10 of the 11 men were arrested by the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office.
Among the charges are conspiracy, illegal entry into the United States, illegal re-entry into the United States by a convicted felon, use of false identification and bank fraud.
One of the defendants, Anthony Tovar-Pina, remains at large. Brownlee said Tovar-Pina had previously been deported after he was convicted of illegal entry into the United States and an aggravated felony.
In custody are Jose Julian Tovar-Pina, 30, described by Brownlee as the leader of the indicted group; Hector Cruz-Hernandez, 30; Jose Ismael Quevedo-Guardado, 29; Jose Luis Santillan-Rodriguez, 23; Carlos Ruiz-Rocha, 20; Alejandra Aragon, no age available; Ernesto Alonso Navarro-Segovia, 28; Manuel Lopez-Perez, 24; Aarnoldo Munguia-Verdusco, 52; and Ivan Paul Sanchez, 23.
Munguia-Verdusco and Sanchez are legal resident aliens, Brownlee said.
Tovar-Pina had previously been convicted of selling cocaine and illegal possession of forged documents in California, Brownlee said. He was deported by federal authorities in Nebraska in 1996, and authorities did not know how or when he re-entered the country, Brownlee said.
Just defrauding the banks that Americans and Blacks won't do.
You know, we should just start printing these stories out and faxing them to the White House.
I esp. love the illegal RE-entry in the US.
How are we going to keep ANY criminal(s) out when our border is wide open and unguarded?
"Just defrauding the banks that Americans and Blacks won't do."
LOL! Yes, we should update our sarcasm to reflect the lessons we've learned from that international head of state, Sr. Fox. Bet he was one who wasn't rooting for Kerry though, that I will say.
Enterprising illegal aliens *ping*
Why do I have the feeling that somebody knowingly hired an illegal alien. So this happened at a construction company. Sounds like an inside job.
It does seem to have been well coordinated, doesn't it.
..bilking banks in at least eight states out of an estimated $50 million.
That sure ain't chump change.
ping
My gut tells me there is more to this.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
Oh, but the more important question is how will we maintain a diverse criminal element if we don't allow them to cross our borders unimpeded? ;-)
"...the more important question is how will we maintain a diverse criminal element..."
LOL! Diversity IS our strength!
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