Two Hesperia Residents Arrested in Identity Theft Investigation

HESPERIA-(VVNG.com):  Two Hesperia residents were arrested on Monday after San Bernardino County deputies from the Hesperia station responded to their home to conduct a search warrant. The search warrant was obtained in connection with a Saturday morning report of identity theft.

The victim reported receiving harassing phone calls from creditors about debts they had never established that were in their name, Sheriff officials said. Deputies were able to trace some of the activity back to the 15000 block of Mojave Street.

The search warrant was executed at the suspects’ residence at around 1:15 p.m. on Monday. During the search deputies found credit cards in the victim’s name located inside the home, as well as altered checks, credit cards, and two trash cans full of mail belonging to other victims.

Both suspects, identified as Buck Otine and Tiacene Mack (Otine)  were booked into the High Desert Detention Center for Conspiracy to commit a crime, felony forgery, possession of fraudulent checks and obtaining a credit card in another person’s identity.

Citizens can help protect themselves from becoming a victim of these kinds of crime by doing the following:

1) Retrieve mail from your mailbox as soon as possible.

2) Consider getting a P.O. Box that keeps others from having access to your mail.

3) Getting a locking mailbox.

4) Receive bills electronically.

5) Have checks automatically deposited to your bank.