12 Arrested In Counterfeit Crackdown

HOUSTON -- A dozen people were arrested in connection with an identity theft and counterfeit ring in east Houston, police told KPRC Local 2 Thursday.

Investigators found dozens of fake IDs and counterfeit checks during the bust on Friday.

"These individuals may have been responsible for the negotiating of up to $70,000 each week in fraudulent checks," said Lt. Robert Manza with the Houston Police Department.

Police said Daniel Marin, 37, nicknamed "El Zorro," is the ringleader.

"The method of operation of these individuals was to have one person obtain a job as a laborer at a legitimate business in order to get a paycheck. Once that paycheck was obtained, it was sent out of state to be professionally counterfeited and duplicated dozens of times," Manza said.

Investigators said Marin held meetings every Friday at his southeast Houston to round up people to go to businesses in Houston, Austin and Dallas to cash the fake checks, ranging from $5 to $800.

"They were mostly targeting small grocery stores or check cashing businesses where it's not uncommon to see laborers line up on Friday afternoon to cash their paychecks," Manza said.

Four more suspects are on "immigration holds."

All 16 suspects are believed to be in the United States illegally.

The Houston Police Department and the District Attorney's Office have asked for help from the U.S. Secret Service to investigate the criminal trail, which includes California and Arizona where the checks were mass counterfeited, according to authorities.