Search warrants recover thousands in cash in ongoing check-cashing investigation in Dona Ana County Clerk’s Office

Three search warrants executed late Tuesday turned up thousands of dollars and a computer as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged check-cashing ring by employees in the Dona Ana County Clerk’s Office.

Dona Ana County Sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate allegations that four low-level Doa Ana County Clerk’s Office employees and three others were involved in an intricate, international check-cashing ring.

The investigation has already resulted in more than 100 counts of identity theft, allegations of forgery and fraud.

Maria Ceniceros, 42, a document technician at the county clerk’s office, was arrested May 29, along with her husband, Francisco Ceniceros, 47, and their daughter Denise Ceniceros, 24. Maria Ceniceros bonded out over the weekend, but was arrested again Monday on federal charges of aggravated identity theft.

Denise Ceniceros and Francisco Ceniceros were released from the Doa Ana County Detention Center on May 30 after each posted a $5,000 secured bond.

One of the search warrants carried out Tuesday was on the vehicle allegedly belonging to Maria Ceniceros, in which authorities found a large amount of cash.

Armando Gutierrez Torez, who authorities say worked with Maria Ceniceros to allegedly deliver checks that were gleaned from identities used to create fraudulent tax returns that eventually resulted in tax refund checks, was arrested on May 29. Because of health reasons, he was unable to be booked at the Doa Ana County Detention Center until Monday.

A second search warrant on Torez’s vehicle also resulted in the discovery of a large amount of cash.

A third search warrant was executed on the computer allegedly used by Maria Ceniceros at the Doa Ana County Clerk’s office.

Torez is charged with conspiracy to commit identity theft, conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud.

The investigation into the alleged scheme began in mid-May after the sheriff’s office received information that a woman at the clerk’s office had allegedly approached another employee with an offer to make some extra money if that employee agreed to deposit tax-return checks into a personal bank account in exchange for cash and a portion of the check.

Sheriff’s officials say the initial exchange was for three checks that totaled just under $12,000.

Federal agencies were notified of the investigation when it was discovered the alleged activity going on at the Doa Ana County Clerk’s Office was tied to a similar investigation elsewhere involving U.S. Treasury tax return checks.

Maria Ceniceros is charged with 113 counts of identity theft, forgery, fraud, conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Denise Ceniceros and Francisco Ceniceros are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Three additional county clerk’s office employees were arrested at the clerk’s office: Emilia Gomez, 51, Nadia Martinez, 38, and Reena Rodriguez, 32. All three have been charged with conspiracy to commit forgery and violation of notary requirements. Gomez, Martinez and Rodriguez are all employed as document technicians at the clerk’s office and are accused of notarizing falsified documents.

Doa Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins and Chief Deputy Clerk Scott Krahling are cooperating fully with authorities, who say neither knew about the alleged activity before being briefed by law enforcement on Monday.