By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com
Seven members of a crime ring that stole checks out of rural mailboxes in Placer County and used account and routing numbers to create counterfeit checks have been sentenced to jail and prison terms.
Banks and individuals lost thousands of dollars as a result of the fraudulent activities that occurred between February and October of 2009, according to a Placer County District Attorney's Office news release.
"We are aware of more than a dozen victims whose account information was used and of probably another dozen stores and banks that were victimized when fraudulent checks were passed," prosecutor Dan Quick said in a written statement.
Five defendants were sentenced Monday in Placer County Superior Court. Two others, including Jayson Paul Krack, whom officials identified as the central figure in the group, were sentenced earlier this year.
Krack, 30, a Citrus Heights resident, received the longest sentence, seven years in state prison, after pleading no contest May 10 to felony charges or conspiracy, forgery, identity theft and burglary.
Thomas Alan Woodhouse, 24, of Auburn received six years in the California Rehabilitation Center, a prison facility for substance abusers. He pleaded no contest in April to conspiracy and identity theft, as well as unrelated charges of burglary and illegally taking a vehicle, according to the news release.
On Monday, James Michael Marich, 46, of Auburn was sentenced to one year and four months in state prison after pleading no contest to charges of conspiracy, identity theft and burglary.
The other defendants, all Auburn residents who played lesser roles in the operation, were sent to Placer County jail after plea agreements. They included Rachael Duran, 30, six months for conspiracy, forgery and burglary; Andrew Clifford, 24, three months for conspiracy and identity theft; Jason Lacy, 22, two months for conspiracy and burglary; and Bonnie Tremlin, 29, 45 days for identity theft.
Quick said one other defendant awaits sentencing while two other suspected members of the ring are sought by authorities.
The counterfeiters came to law enforcement officers' attention when one of the defendants was caught after trying to pass a phony check at a business. Phony checks found in the suspect's vehicle led to the arrests of others involved in the operation.
Quick advised residents of rural areas to use caution when putting up the red flag on their mailboxes. In addition to alerting postal carriers to outgoing mail, they may be alerting thieves that they are sending out a check. He recommended people drop their letters in a mailbox at a post office.
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.
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