(Primghar)– O’Brien county authorities have released the names of 14 people charged in a fraudulent check investigation.
They’re identified as 28-year-old Rodrigo Juarez Bassco, also known as Benito Salazar; 22-year-old Gelacio Cortez; 22-year-old Albert Gomez; 27-year-old Geronimo Hernandez, also known as Geronimo Hernandez-Rodriguez; 23-year-old Paulina Hernandez, also known as Paulino Hernandez-Suazo; 37-year-old Jose Gabino Ortiz-Ihuit and 23-year-old Jose Veles Vargas, also known as Joel Santos…all of Atlanta, Georgia; 31-year-old Isedro Rodriquez-Hernandez of Acworth, Georgia; 21-year-old Jose Hernandez Delgado, also known as David Lopez; and 18-year-old Jesus Gonzales, also known as Jesus Gonzalez-Perez…both of Los Angeles, California; 28-year-old Ceasar Mendoza, also known as Geronimo Hernandez-Rodriguez of Minneapolis; and 30-year-old Pedro Rioz, also known as Pedro Rioz-Melendez, address unknown.
They’re all being held on 13-thousand dollars bond for conspiracy to commit theft and are being held on a detainer by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for illegal entry into the U-S.
25-year-old Angel Migueal Rivera and 32-year-old Juan Antonio Altamirano, both of Worthington, are being held on 13-thousand dollars bond each for conspiracy to commit theft in the first degree. Rivera’s naturalization status wasn’t known; authorities say Altamirano IS a naturalized citizen.
Authorities say their investigation into the fraudulent check ring got started on Wednesday when they were called to United Community Bank in Hartley regarding a group of people cashing fraudulent checks.
The O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, INS and the Iowa Divison of Criminal Investigation are continuing to investigate.
