4 Arrested in Fake Document Ring

Santa Ana police arrested three men and a 16-year-old boy Wednesday on suspicion of running a “highly sophisticated” ring that manufactured bogus birth certificates, immigration, Social Security and insurance cards and fake driver’s licenses.

The arrests came after investigators received a tip Wednesday morning that a man was selling forged government documents on the street near Main and Bishop streets near downtown, Santa Ana Police Sgt. Raul Luna said.

An undercover officer went to the area and purchased several realistic forgeries, each ranging in price from $45 to $75.

Investigators continued watching the individual, who led them to an apartment in the 1200 block of East McFadden Avenue, where they found 1,800 false documents, including Los Angeles County and Mexican birth certificates. They also discovered laminating machines and camera equipment that authorities believe had been used to make the forgeries.

“The documents appear to be real,” Luna said. “We had representatives from the Mexican consulate review the forged Mexican birth certificates, and they had the Mexican stamps and seals on them, and they said they were of a high quality and would easily fool the general public.”

Some of the laminating sheets were stamped with official seals. Investigators are trying to determine whether the materials were stolen or are forgeries as well.

Police estimated the value of the forgeries seized from the apartment at $112,000.

“It was a very low-tech but highly sophisticated ring,” Luna said. “They were using very simple laminating machines and cameras.”

Investigators were still trying to determine Thursday where the documents had been printed.

“Some of the documents have very visible alignment marks that are only made by professional printers,” Luna said. “The work may have been done by a legitimate printer knowing that they are forgeries but he’s doing it because he’s getting paid very well, or it may be an employee.”

The suspects were arrested for investigation of felony manufacturing of false government documents.

The men were identified as Vicente Arcadio and Jomero Pascual Herrera, both 39 and of Santa Ana, and Manuel Pineda Reyes, 31, of Long Beach. They were being held Thursday evening in Santa Ana Jail, each in lieu of $10,000 bail, Luna said. The juvenile’s name was being withheld because of his age.

During the last 18 months, police have dismantled three separate forgery rings that have operated in the same area, he said.