Shelby bad check suspects will be deported (Mansfield News Journal)

Shelby bad check suspects will be deported
BY JAMI KINTON • NEWS JOURNAL • DECEMBER 2, 2010

SHELBY -- Nine men arrested on felony charges last week pleaded guilty Wednesday and will be deported through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A representative from Shelby Municipal Courts said plea bargains reduced forgery charges to misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property.

Last Tuesday, Roberto Guevara, 24; Jorge Priego Ortega, 27; Jesus Mata-Lopez, 22; Cristian Fuentes Torrez, 26; Uriel Nunez Almeron, 27; Mario Daniel Herrera, 23; Jose A. Torres-Flores, 24; Jose Alexandro Reyes-Mata, 24; and Alfonso Suarez-Gonzalez, 31, were arrested after Shelby police acted on reports of fraudulent payroll checks being cashed at several locations.

At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, police Chief Charlie Roub said he was pleased to see the men plead guilty.

"This puts this case in the federal authorities' hands and takes the burden off of us," Roub said. "It's a good way to handle this, so it's not a long, drawn-out process. It's fine with us as we'll still get pretty much the same results. What's important now is getting people their money back."

Roub estimated about $4,000 was stolen. He said the checks were cashed at fast-cash businesses.

The men are in Richland County Jail, awaiting deportation to Mexico.