Police Arrest Man for Forgery, Counterfeit ID

Santa Barbara police have arrested a man and are searching for a woman in connection with an instance of alleged forgery.

According to a report on the matter, a man and woman entered the Mi Fiesta convenience store, located at 833 North Milpas Street, around 4:30 p.m. on September 12. The woman asked to cash a check from the Select Staffing temp agency. Having received counterfeit Select Staffing checks in the past, the store clerk attempted to verify the woman’s Mexico ID card. This prompted both the woman and the man to flee. The clerk caught only the man.

The man initially told police that he did not know the woman. Upon investigating the matter, however, police found that he too had a check from Select Staffing as well as another Mexico ID card. A phone number written on his check matched the woman’s check. The man eventually admitted that both ID cards were counterfeit. His identity has not yet been verified. The 55-year-old was booked into jail under the name on the bogus ID card, Jose Luis Martinez, on charges of forgery, possession of a counterfeit ID card, burglary, and giving police a false name.