Man charged over stolen checks
Santa Fe County residents and at least one business missing checks and personal documents can rest a bit easier.
A Hernández man was charged Tuesday with 25 counts of forgery, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence after police say they found him and two acquaintances with numerous people’s checks and identification.
Lester Padilla, 46, was arrested in early October.
A criminal complaint filed in Santa Fe County Magistrate Court says police received a call about suspicious people at an Airport Road business on Oct. 11 and discovered Padilla, another man and a woman there.
The woman allowed police to search their van, where officers found multiple checks, the report says.
Padilla had a bench warrant for failure to appear on fraud charges, a charging document says, and officers arrested him.
When he was in a holding cell, the complaint says, Padilla attempted to tear up several items he had with him and dispose of them in the next cell. Among the items, court documents allege, were IDs and checks.
Police said they found at least six checks that belonged to other people and a Santa Fe construction business, IDs from three people, a Presbyterian medical card and at least two Social Security cards.
At least three checks belonging to the business were written out for a total of close to $1,500.
The other man and woman have not been charged in the case, according to online court records.