A Jefferson County grand jury has returned a 53-count indictment against a suspected identity-theft ring accused of stealing more than $11,000 in one month.
Six suspected ring members are being charged with multiple felony counts, including identity theft, theft, computer crime and possession of methamphetamine, Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey announced in a news release.
Among the crimes, ring members are suspected of going into a Lakewood church during a wedding and stealing personal and financial information from four revelers, as well as checks drawn on the church’s bank account.
The ring worked “as an organized enterprise” and stole checks, credit cards, gift cards, electronics, jewelry and other items, the DA’s office said.
They’re also accused of stealing cars, breaking into cars to steal purses and wallets, stealing from mailboxes, and stealing personal and financial information from a hotel room.
The grand-jury investigation stemmed from an Arvada Police Department case and covered a 30-day period between November and December 2008.
Arrested and charged were:
Five of the six suspected ring members have been charged with racketeering, the DA’s office said.
According to the indictment, the ring created bogus checks and identification cards on a computer; members forged and cashed checks to fraudulently purchase merchandise and gift cards; and the defendants used stolen credit cards to make purchases.
The victims include Target, King Soopers, Wal-Mart, Lakewood Christian Church, Bellco Credit Union and several banks, as well as multiple individuals.
Materials seized as evidence in the case include stolen or computer-generated checks, payroll checks, bank statements, Social Security cards, and personal and financial documents of up to 100 people whose identities had not yet been breached.
Investigators also seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Storey said: “This identity-theft ring, like most others, was motivated by the participants’ methamphetamine use.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
