DARLINGTON - Three men remain jailed after they were arrested for trying to cash fraudulent payroll checks Thursday in Darlington.
Jose Martinez-Gomez, 24, Cuba City; Saul Zavala-Ramos, 23, Atlanta; and Olegario Estrella-Leyoa, 34, Tijuana, Mexico, were arrested for resisting an officer and forgery.
According to Darlington Police Chief Jason King, there is evidence that more people were involved with the incident, and police continue to investigate.
He also said a group of men, including the three arrested, were able to defraud one Darlington bank of about $10,000. The name of the bank will not be released until the investigation is completed.
Police reports say the three men tried to cash fake payroll checks from Mexican Cheese Producers at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday at La Mexicana grocery store on Main Street. The clerk at the store refused to cash the checks because the clerk knew they weren't employed at the Darlington cheese factory.
The men left the grocery store, but police weren't able to find them.
Officers notified all Darlington banks that the three men tried to cash the payroll checks at a grocery store.
At about 4:15 p.m., the men entered the First National Bank on Main Street and tried to cash the checks. The bank contacted the police department.
Martinez-Gomez left the bank and hid behind a Dumpster. Zavala-Ramos was confronted by police as he exited the bank. He tried to eat one of the checks. Estrella-Leyoa fled from police but was caught about a block away.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also involved in the investigation. The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department assisted at the scene.
Jose Martinez-Gomez, 24, Cuba City; Saul Zavala-Ramos, 23, Atlanta; and Olegario Estrella-Leyoa, 34, Tijuana, Mexico, were arrested for resisting an officer and forgery.
According to Darlington Police Chief Jason King, there is evidence that more people were involved with the incident, and police continue to investigate.
He also said a group of men, including the three arrested, were able to defraud one Darlington bank of about $10,000. The name of the bank will not be released until the investigation is completed.
Police reports say the three men tried to cash fake payroll checks from Mexican Cheese Producers at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday at La Mexicana grocery store on Main Street. The clerk at the store refused to cash the checks because the clerk knew they weren't employed at the Darlington cheese factory.
The men left the grocery store, but police weren't able to find them.
Officers notified all Darlington banks that the three men tried to cash the payroll checks at a grocery store.
At about 4:15 p.m., the men entered the First National Bank on Main Street and tried to cash the checks. The bank contacted the police department.
Martinez-Gomez left the bank and hid behind a Dumpster. Zavala-Ramos was confronted by police as he exited the bank. He tried to eat one of the checks. Estrella-Leyoa fled from police but was caught about a block away.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also involved in the investigation. The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department assisted at the scene.