Auburn check counterfeiters sentenced to prison, jail

Seven members of a counterfeiting ring have been sentenced to jail or prison. The individuals allegedly stole checks out of rural Placer County mailboxes and used the accounts and routing numbers to create counterfeit checks. Prosecuting attorney Dan Quick said the crime affected a large number of local residents and businesses. "We are aware of more than a dozen victims whose account information was used and of probably another dozen stores and banks that were victimized when fraudulent checks were passed," Quick said. Quick said banks and individuals lost thousands of dollars due to the fraudulent activity, which law officials said happened between February and October of 2009. Police officers and sheriff's deputies caught on to the ring when one of the defendants tried to use a fraudulent check at a business. More checks were found in his car, which helped officials track down the other members of the crime team. Five of the defendants were sentenced Monday.Auburn resident James Michael Marich, 46, was sentenced to one year and four months in state prison after pleading to charges of conspiracy, identity theft and burglary. Thomas Alan Woodhouse, 24, of Auburn, was sentenced to six years in the California Rehabilitation Center, a prison facility for substance abusers. Woodhouse pleaded no contest in April to charges of conspiracy and identity theft, as well as to unrelated charges of burglary and illegally taking a vehicle. Four other Auburn residents were sentenced to spend time in Placer County Jail. Rachael Duran, 30, was sentenced to six months for conspiracy, forgery and burglary. Andrew Clifford, 24, received three months for conspiracy and identity theft. Jason Lacy, 22, was sentenced to two months in jail for conspiracy and burglary. Bonnie Tremlin, 29, received 45 days in jail for identity theft. Citrus Heights resident Jayson Paul Krack, 30, was sentenced to seven years in state prison after pleading no contest to felony charges of conspiracy, forgery, identity theft and burglary. Krack and Woodhouse received their sentences in the spring. Quick said one other defendant is currently awaiting sentencing and law officials are searching for two more suspects. Quick said he doesn't recommend people use their home mailboxes to send out checks. "I'd encourage people to drop their letters in a mailbox at a post office," he said.~Staff report