Two people who authorities believe were a part of a larger group of people stealing and forging checks across Minnesota were charged in Freeborn County District Court last week with aggravated forgery and identity theft.

Virginia Martinez Castillo, 20, of Nashville, Tenn., and Julio Cesar Benitez-Zamorano, 23, of Wheatland, Calif., each face charges for attempting to pass forged payroll checks at the State Bank of Clarks Grove in Albert Lea. Police arrested them March 21. Benitez-Zamorano has also been charged with fifth-degree possession of cocaine.

According to court documents, on the morning of March 21 Albert Lea Police Department Lt. Jeff Strom was dispatched to the Clarks Grove Bank at 2401 Bridge Ave. after he received a call of three people at the bank’s drive-up window who were attempting to cash checks stolen from Thompson Sanitation.

Bank personnel later told police that Castillo presented an Illinois picture ID in the name of Rebeca Silva, which matched the name on the check she was attempting to cash, according to court papers. Benitez-Zamorano presented an Illinois picture ID in the name of Ismael Vazquez, which matched the name on his check.

Both of the checks were dated March 19 and were signed and enforced.

The bank had previously been advised that Thompson Sanitation was missing 54 checks and even had the numbers of the missing checks.

When Strom arrived at the bank, he directed the three people to come over to him. Castillo and Benitez-Zamorano complied, but the third fled the scene in a gray Ford sports utility vehicle or mini van.

The check Castillo was attempting to cash was for about $985, while Benitez-Zamorano’s check was about $982.

Representatives from Thompson Sanitation advised police they did not issue the checks and did not give permission to write those checks.

The check forgery charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and the identity theft charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

Benitez-Zamorano’s fifth-degree possession charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Castillo and Benitez-Zamorano are being held on $5,000 conditional bond and $10,000 unconditional bond.

A bigger problem

According to Albert Lea Police Detective Ben Mortensen, the two people who were arrested are part of a larger group of people who are believed to be burglarizing businesses and stealing checks across the state.

Stolen checks have been reported at Jensen Electric in Albert Lea, though there were no signs of forced entry to the business, Mortensen said. Some of the Jensen Electric checks were passed in Austin, and the Austin Police Department is handling those forgeries.

The Albert Lea Police Department and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office have recently dealt with two burglaries at separate businesses in Freeborn County where nothing was taken.

“It is believed that the two burglaries are related to a group that the two suspects who were arrested were working with throughout Minnesota,” he said.

The detective noted that the checks stolen from Thompson Sanitation and Jensen Electric were from the middle of the checkbook so it was not readily apparent that the checks were missing.