HILLSBORO, Ore- On September 17, 2024, David Garcia, age 34, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, aggravated theft in the first degree, possession of a forged instrument in the first degree, forgery in the first degree, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was later sentenced to 70 months in prison by Washington County Circuit Court Judge Hafez Daraee. Deputy District Attorney Christina Luedtke prosecuted the defendant.
In August of 2022, the defendant and three acquaintances began cashing forged checks from the business account of a family farm located in Cornelius, Oregon. Total losses reached nearly $29,000. The Washington County Sheriff's Office was alerted. A detective obtained a search warrant for bank records, copies of all checks used, suspect identifications, and video of the fraudulent transactions and was able to identify the defendant as a suspect. He determined Mr. Garcia stole more than $10,000 over the course of these transactions.
In February of 2023, the defendant also engaged in a similar scheme involving a restaurant in Washington County. He and three accomplices cashed fraudulent checks issued to themselves on behalf of the restaurant. They stole more than $10,000 in total with Mr. Garcia responsible for more than $2,000 in fraudulent transactions.
In December of 2023, an alert Hillsboro police officer spotted a stolen vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Mr. Garcia was in the passenger’s seat and admitted to stealing the car the previous night.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office wishes to commend the work of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Hillsboro Police Department.
The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims, serve one year of post-prison supervision, and will have his driver’s license suspended. Mr. Garcia will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.