Secret Service involved as authorities bust fraud ring

By ERICA JAHN

Staff writer

Federal Way Police have busted a fraud ring in the city, arresting three people with help from federal law enforcement agents.

Valley Special Response team members arrived at a home in the 33300 block of 23rd Avenue South about 6 a.m. April 11 in an armored vehicle to serve a search warrant. The search and subsequent arrests followed a joint investigation among the U.S. Postal Service, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Secret Service and Federal Way Police.

Police took into custody a 45-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man. The 45-year-old and 29-year-old were arrested on 24 counts of bank fraud, mail theft and related forgery, police spokesman Kurt Schwan said. The 26-year-old was arrested for a federal probation violation.

Schwan said the suspects were involved in manufacturing false state drivers licenses, cashier checks, money orders and “very authentic credit cards.” Police found fake identification in the residence, as well as other blank documents that led investigators to believe they were making fake IDs.

In addition to the fraudulent cards and identifications, police seized computers, printers and scannerse.

Schwan said police don’t believe the three arrested were part of a larger ring. “It looks like these were the three we were looking for,” he said.

The suspects went peacefully into police custody and will be charged in federal court in eastern Washington, according to authorities.

Staff writer Erica Jahn: 925-5565, ejahn@fedwaymirror.com

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