Postal Service Seeks Help in Solving Case

The Postal Service is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for five people, including three from Van Nuys, who allegedly stole and cashed 598 U.S. Treasury checks totaling $675,000, a postal service spokeswoman said Thursday.

Four other people are in custody, either convicted or awaiting trial, according to Pamela Prince, a spokeswoman for the postal inspector.

At least nine people--two of them bank tellers--from Van Nuys, Glendale and Los Angeles were involved in the scheme between March and July 1995 to deposit the checks at Great Western Bank branches in Van Nuys and Los Angeles, she said.

The checks were stolen during two April 1995 robberies of mail carriers in La Puente or during postal vehicle break-ins between May 1 and July 3, 1995, in Pico Rivera, San Pedro, Long Beach, North Hollywood and San Bernardino.

Postal inspectors have arrest warrants for five suspects indicted in March, Prince said, identifying them as:

* Monica Zavala, 43, of Van Nuys, who was indicted on charges of receiving stolen U.S. Treasury checks and helping deposit 527 of them totaling nearly $588,000 into other accomplices’ accounts.

* Jose Perez, 38, of Van Nuys, who allegedly deposited 17 checks totaling $13,000.

* Jose Ramirez, 30, of Van Nuys, who allegedly deposited 22 checks totaling $29,000.

* Miguel Cruz, 40, of Los Angeles, accused of depositing 98 checks valued at $124,000.

* Alberto Fernandez--who also goes by the name Guillermo Marquez--32, of Los Angeles, who allegedly received stolen checks and deposited 196 of them totaling $227,000.

Prince said anyone who provides information to the Postal Inspection Service which leads to an arrest or conviction may be eligible for a reward ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. The highest rewards would be paid for information on the robberies.

The four already imprisoned or waiting to be sentenced are:

* Saul Galvez Saldana, 29, of Glendale, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced in April to 10 months in prison and three years’ probation for stealing 14 checks worth $116,000.

* Maria Olga Zavala Cervantes, 39, of Van Nuys, who pleaded guilty to depositing 49 stolen checks valued at $72,000.

* Linda Eloisa Ortiz, a 25-year-old bank teller from Van Nuys, who pleaded guilty to accepting 527 checks, valued at $588,000. She was sentenced in September to one year in prison and three years’ probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to Great Western Bank.

* Cristela Marilu Gonzalez, 20, of Los Angeles. The bank teller was convicted in July of accepting for deposit in Cruz’s account at least 71 stolen checks valued at $89,000. She is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.