29-05-2025
Three man arrested after accuses of cashing $130,000 worth of forged checks at Statesville convenience store
STATESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Three men were arrested Wednesday after being accused of cashing fraudulent checks at a Statesville business.
According to the Iredell County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call from a convenience store on Houpe Road, where an employee expressed concern about the legitimacy of checks they had been receiving. They had reportedly been used since the beginning of the month to obtain more than $130,000.
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This business then contacted the sheriff's office to to report forged checks.
Deputies say later in the afternoon, three suspects returned to the store and attempted to pass more checks. Store employees called the sheriff's office, and deputies located the three suspects: Juan Dario Carcomo, Merin Arnoldo Sorto-Mata, and Ezequiel Cruz Garcia.
When the suspects saw the deputies, they allegedly ran, and a foot pursuit ensued. Multiple sheriff's office canines arrived to track the suspects, and two of the suspects were immediately located. The third suspect was soon located and arrested after resisting the deputies, which led to him being hit with a Taser.
All three suspects were arrested and taken to the Iredell County Detention Center.
Juan Dario Carcamo, 29, of Texas, was charged with:
Two counts of Misdemeanor Resist, Obstruct, and Delay of a Law Enforcement Officer
Felony Conspiracy
Two counts of Felony Uttering a Forged Instrument, and
Felony Possession and Transporting a Counterfeit Instrument. Magistrate M. Russel gave him a secured bond of $10,000.
Merin Arnoldo Sorto-Mata, 23, of Houston, Texas, was charged with:
Felony Conspiracy
Two counts of Misdemeanor Resist, Obstruct, and Delay of a Law Enforcement Officer.
He was given a secured bond of $6,500.
An immigration hold was placed on this suspect; his address his listed as homeless
Ezequiel Cruz Garcia, 23, of Statesville was charged with:
Two counts of Misdemeanor Resist, Obstruct, and Delay of an Officer,
Misdemeanor Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and
Felony Conspiracy.
He was given a secured bond of $15,000.
An immigration hold was placed on this suspect; his address was listed as homeless
Two other individuals, Javier Cortez and Junior Mendez, were identified in this investigation and charged with fraud. Felony warrants have been issued on these two suspects.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be pending.
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