sbsheriff
By the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
After an hour-long search, deputies arrested two Santa Maria men for several felony charges stemming from their attempt to defraud a bank. On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at approximately 2:40 p.m., deputies were dispatched to a bank in the 1100-block of E. Clark Avenue for a report of a suspect attempting to cash a forged check. Bank employees provided a great amount detail of the suspect to Sheriff’s dispatch while deputies responded to the area.
As deputies arrived the suspect, 31-year-old Richard Martinez, fled the bank on foot. Deputies chased the suspect who entered a nearby discount store, and then out the back door. With the assistance of several CHP officers, a perimeter was established. During the search, a suspicious subject, 31-year-old Carlos Alonso was contacted in the area. After about an hour of searching and with the assistance of County Air Support and a Sheriff’s K9 Unit, Martinez was located in the 900-block of Patterson Road and arrested. It was later determined Carlos Alonso was Martinez’ accomplice.
Both suspects were transported to the Northern Branch Jail where they were booked for conspiracy (felony), burglary (felony), forgery (felony), and making a fictitious check (felony). Alonso is being held with $20,000 bail. Martinez had several outstanding warrants and is being held without bail.
I have a bunch of checks from my bank that I have not written out since about 2016 or 2017. I pay my monthly rent automatically and it is taken out from checking account, as well as my other monthly expenses. And of course I pay my credit cards online as well. Good thing these two bozos got caught by the sheriffs and the use of the K9 Unit (I just love those highly trained puppies), and kudos to the employees providing details on these two bozos. Anyone out there who still writes out checks?
Yes, we write checks to gardeners and house cleaners and others who come to do jobs on site (carpet cleaning, window cleaning, plumbers). Many prefer checks to credit charges if they even have that capability, mostly because the cc companies charge them a fee to access the money. The idea that we need to pay middle ‘men’ companies is part of the rot in our economic system, mostly taking a bite out of the wages of low and blue collar workers. Pay in check or pay in cash if you can.