On May 22, 2014, Officers Daniel Karna, #9943, and Brian Fillingim, #9779, responded to a call at 833 N. Westmoreland Road regarding several individuals selling fake IDs in front of the meat market. The officers contacted the caller and obtained detailed descriptions of the suspects.
Officers then detained four individuals as they were attempting to leave the location. Additional officers from Southwest Patrol Division responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. During the investigation, officers found a fake Matricula Consular ID card, a fake Texas ID card, fake social security card, laminate plastic for manufacturing IDs, business cards advertising the IDs, and cell phones containing photographs used for making forged ID cards.
During a search of the arrested person’s phone the arrestee attempted to discard a SIM card from a phone. The card was found to contain incriminating evidence of manufacturing identification cards. Officers then located paperwork with copies of permanent resident cards, social security cards, and photos of other individuals. There were also photographs of vehicles with hand written notes in Spanish. There was also a Homeland Security search warrant located. The warrant had information on Federal Agents that were involved in an investigation of the arrestees.
A Spanish speaking officer translated the notes which revealed that the arrestees had been doing counter surveillance on the Federal Agents. The translated notes also revealed that the arrestees had photos of the agents and photos of the agents’ covert vehicles which were used in the investigation. Due to the seriousness of the documents recovered, officers contacted Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) who later verified that the individuals in the pictures were in fact Federal Agents and a district attorney who was prosecuting a family member of one of the arrestees. The arrestees were transported to Jack Evans and were interviewed by Detectives Ed Lujan, #7375, and Miguel Almeida, 7858.
All the arrestee’s were charged with Tampering with a Government Record. One of the arrestees was also charged with Fraudulent Possession of Identification Information. All charges are 2nd degree felonies. Two of the arrestees were illegal immigrants and therefore Fusion, ICE, and the District Attorney’s office were notified. The incidents were documented on the following case numbers: 123658-B, 123794-B, 123847-B, and 123848-B. Financial Crimes and Homeland Security are continuing to investigate the group further.