Police arrest six on ID theft, forgery charges at Flickerwood

In the wake of a handful of arrests at a Cape Girardeau restaurant for identity theft and forgery allegedly committed by illegal immigrants, six men were arrested at Flickerwood Farms in Jackson this week on similar charges.

According to a probable-cause statement, Cape Girardeau County sheriff's deputies went to Flickerwood to serve several warrants on illegal immigrants working at the farm, and a search identified several other people thought to be working on forged documents.

The owner of Flickerwood Farms, Mark Boardman, provided deputies with the work papers and Social Security numbers his employees had supplied upon their hiring.

Flickerwood Farms and Arena is a major vendor of cattle, feed and wood shavings and hosts a number of local rodeos.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement confirmed none of the men had any records that could prove legal entry into the U.S., indicating the permanent resident and Social Security cards were forged, the statement said.

Fransisco Soso Cruz, Manual Munoz-Alvarenga, Anselmo Cruz-Candelaria, Hector Gonzalez-Hernandez, Candido Sorto and Adalberto Baraona were all charged with identity theft and forgery.

On June 26, the Cape Girardeau Police Department arrested eight people as the result of a raid at Casa Mexicana, 1832 N. Kingshighway, on suspicion of using false Social Security numbers to work at the restaurant.

In addition, another man was arrested in Cape Girardeau and charged with forgery, though he was originally stopped for a traffic violation.

Efrain Silvia-Cruz, 18, 2832 Whitener St. Apt. 8, was arrested July 3 after being stopped for having car windows that were tinted darker than is permitted, according to a probable-cause statement.

Though Cape Girardeau police will investigate illegal immigrant reports, the majority of immigration arrests and detainers begin as an investigation into another type of complaint, police have said. A detainer occurs when someone is arrested on state charges, and local authorities agree to hold or detain that person for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to be turned over to them after their sentence is complete.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's detective Jamie Malugen said immigration-related arrests tend to fluctuate between periods where there are none followed by several all at once.

Malugen said the sheriff's department received a tip about Flickerwood that led to the investigation, but added that the arrests in Cape Girardeau may have helped in persuading the tipster to come forward by provoking awareness of the issue.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent addresses:

100 Court St., Jackson MO

40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau MO

3019 Larch Lane, Jackson MO

216 N. Missouri St., Jackson MO