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Santa Maria, CA -- Three Santa Maria residents were arrested last Friday in connection with a mail and identity theft ring started last month. The three stole from more than 150 people in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Police raided a Santa Maria home on the 500 block East Cook Street Friday. The three people arrested at the home were 26-year-old Natalie Rae Fuentes, 44-year-old Michael John Hastings and 29-year-old Casey Sartain.It’s not clear whether the suspects lived at the home, but authorities said they found evidence of mail theft, stolen checks and identity fraud there. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Bomb Task Force also processed an explosive device at the home.
The suspects allegedly stole mail from U.S. Postal Service drop boxes, including some in Pismo Beach. They then reportedly used a chemical solution to wash the original information off any checks they found, leaving account holders’ signatures intact. With the checks blank they could replace the payee and sums. The checks were then deposited into accounts created for the scam. No word yet how many drop boxes may have been burglarized, nor how many people had money stolen.
Hasting and Fuentes have been booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail. Sartain is being held in Santa Barbara County Jail. Official believe there may be more suspects.
