Dalton, Ga., police arrested and charged two men Wednesday in connection with a document counterfeiting operation, leading to a larger bust by Cherokee County officials.
Acting on a tip, police conducted an undercover operation to buy counterfeit documents, including three sets of false resident alien cards and three sets of Social Security cards, from the two men, said Bruce Frazier, spokesman for the Dalton Police Department. Investigators then conducted a surveillance operation on the two men in Cherokee County and arrested them when they returned to Dalton to deliver the counterfeit documents, Mr. Frazier said.
Jorge Ivan Gaspar-Lemus, 22, of Canton, Ga., was charged with three counts of forgery in the first degree and one count of identity fraud. Gerardo Jimenez Castro, 24, of Canton, was charged with one count of forgery in the first degree.
Mr. Gaspar-Lemus’ identity fraud charge is for possession of a genuine birth certificate and Social Security number belonging to a Texas resident, Mr. Frazier said.
Investigators also seized $3,000 from the two men at the time of the arrest, along with various other false documents, he said.