Three Dona Ana County Clerk employees were placed under arrest on Monday on charges of fraud, public corruption and identity theft.
It is the second in a series of arrests, following a federal investigation into a identity theft ring operating out of Mexico, that has allegedly been paying off Dona County Clerk employees to fraudulently notarize documents and cash thousands in stolen federal tax refunds.
District Attorney officials says it is one of the largest in investigation involving identity theft in the country.
On Monday morning Dona Ana County Sheriff officers rolled in to the Dona Ana County Government Center with warrants for the arrest of 3 county employees. Dona Ana County Sheriffs department spokesperson says the three county document technicians allegedly collected and cashed the fraudulent tax return checks in exchange for kickbacks.
“This has to do with some fraudulent notary activity that was going on in the clerks office and some fraudulent tax returns that were filed. That in essence is what was the catalyst for those identity theft breeches in the clerks office. The charges are multiple they range from any where including identity theft to fraud to a conspiracy." Jameson says.
Jameson says the investigation began in mid May when a County employee tipped off the sheriffs department after they were offered a chance to take part in the scheme and make some extra money.
Suspects were already being investigated by the US Treasury Department along with the four suspects linked to the same scheme who were arrested in Anthony New Mexico last week.
Dona Ana County Sheriffs Department Major Brent Barlow says the investigation is in its initial phase but he expects further investigation to reveal more individuals involved in the corruption case.
"Public corruption cases such as these will not go unnoticed and we will do everything we can to make sure that people that violate the law and violate the publics confidence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Barlow says.
According to the Dona Ana County Sheriff department the scheme cashed out around $12,000 in fraudulent tax returns. Barlow says the investigation is could on for another 2 weeks. If charged suspects are facing multiple felonies and potentially time in prison.
