Woman charged with identity theft (The Daily Reflector)

Woman charged with identity theft

The Daily Reflector

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Pitt County investigators say they arrested a supplier of fake IDs early this morning.

Brenda Ponce-Cruz, 36, of 766 Barrus Construction Road was arrested when detectives with the Pitt County Sheriff's Office searched her home at 6 a.m., said Deputy John E. Guard IV.

Guard said the office had received information that fraudulent forms of identification were being manufactured and sold from the house.

During the search, fake IDs and equipment used to manufacture different forms of identification were found and taken into custody. Specific details about the seized items were not provided.

Ponce-Cruz is charged with one count each of identity theft, trafficking stolen identities and manufacturing fraudulent identifications. She is in the Pitt County Detention Center under a $30,000 secured bond.

Guard said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division also issued an immigration detainer for Ponce-Cruz. An immigration detainer is issued when the federal government thinks a person is in the country illegally and needs to be held until their immigration status is determined.