Clearlake >> One woman has reportedly victimized hundreds of people through identity theft.
Officers discovered numerous items allegedly linking Clearlake resident Kelly Morales to forgery, manufacturing false checks and identification used to commit fraud during a search of her home on Friday, Clearlake Sgt. Travis Lenz reported.
Morales was arrested alongside an alleged crack cocaine dealer after she reportedly tried to cash a forged check at A-1 Check Cashing in Lakeport.
Leading the investigation was officer Jason Fisher, who called Clearlake officer Michael Dietrick at about 5 p.m. requesting him to contact Morales regarding the case. Dietrick was familiar with Morales and knew she lived in the 3600 block of Sycamore Street.
Once on scene, the officer found a vehicle that was reported stolen through the Clearlake Police Department (CPD) parked in the driveway, Lenz said.
He requested additional units at that time to assist him. While Dietrick waited for the extra patrol, Clearlake resident William Shaw II stepped out of the home and was handcuffed at the time due to the stolen vehicle in the driveway.
After detaining Shaw, Morales came outside and was handcuffed as well.
When Shaw was searched, officers found 59 individual bags of crack cocaine on him, and appeared to be packaged to sell. The total weight of the narcotic was in excess of 34 grams with an estimated street value of $1,100, Lenz said.
Once the additional CPD units arrived, officers searched the home upon Morales’s consent.
They allegedly found several people inside including Rocky Rayfield, who had an outstanding warrant for possession of narcotics. He was later released at the scene on a citation, Lenz said.
When questioned, Morales reportedly admitted to possessing the located evidence for the purposes of fraud and identity theft. In her bedroom, officers also located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, Lenz said.
Morales was booked into the Lake County Jail on 10 charges of forgery, manufacturing false checks, possession of identification to commit forgery, identity theft, identity theft with prior convictions, forging an official seal, possession of false checks, manufacturing false identification, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Shaw was booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of narcotics for the purposes of sales.
Dietrick’s investigation led to the identification of more than 600 victims of identity theft. This investigation is ongoing and has been turned over to the CPD Investigation Unit.
Anyone with information regarding this case can contact detective Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251 ext. 315.
