Church theft suspects face dozens of charges

GOLDEN – Members of a suspected identity theft ring that allegedly preyed on a Lakewood church, retailers, banks and individuals face 53 felony counts including five charges of racketeering after their indictment by a Jefferson County grand jury.

The indictment, announced Tuesday by the District Attorney Scott Storey, also charges the six suspects with identity theft, possession of ID theft tools, theft, computer crime, criminal impersonation and drug possession.

“This identity theft ring, like most others, was motivated by the participants’ methamphetamine use,” Storey said.

Investigators say the suspects stole checks, credit cards, gift cards, electronics, jewelry and other items for their personal use as well as stealing cars, taking purses and wallets and stealing mail from mailboxes.

Among their alleged victims were the Lakewood Christian Church and four guests at a wedding at the church.

The suspects are accused of taking personal and financial information from the wedding guests, then taking some checks payable from the church’s account. They also targeted the Bellco Credit Union and other banks in the metro area where they cashed stolen and forged checks.

“As we break up yet another identity theft ring, this should serve as a reminder of just how vulnerable we are.” Storey said.

The ring took in more than $11,000 in November on December of 2008, using the stolen personal and financial information in its metro-area wide operation, prosecutors said.

The suspects are Amy Jean Bauer, 33, of Westminster; Brittany Megan Gray, 21, of Arvada; Eric Michael Flynn, 36, of Westminster; Robert Shane Gerstner, 40, of Wheat Ridge; Charles Aaron Braecklein, 31, of Denver; and Zachary Paul Engen, 20, of Arvada.

The ring used checks and ID cards they created on a computer to get cash or to purchase merchandise or gift cards, and used credit cards for their purchases, according to the indictment.

The investigation started in Arvada last September, when police were investigating a single ID-theft case. It was two months later before the scope of the alleged operation became evident, investigators said.

Searches conducted during the investigation turned up stolen checks, checks printed by the suspects, payroll checks, bank statements, Social Security cards, and financial information of up to 100 would-be victims whose accounts had not been entered, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

“”Leaving purses or wallets in your car is always risky; ID thieves stake out parking lots looking for their next victims,” Storey said. “We also strongly recommend that you never put your outgoing mail containing checks or financial account numbers into you home mailbox. Take those directly to the Post Office and walk them inside,” Storey said.

Find tips on avoiding ID theft at the District Attorney’s website.