Police link alleged forger
to check stolen from mail

The convicted felon is accused
of altering the payable amount

A convicted felon on probation who is suspected of running an identity theft operation out of her Kaimuki home made her first appearance in Honolulu District Court yesterday.

Judge Leslie Hayashi affirmed bail for Cathleen Freitas, 30, at $100,000 and set a preliminary hearing for tomorrow.

Police charged Freitas on Tuesday with second-degree forgery, second-degree attempted theft, credit card theft, manufacture of deceptive IDs, possession of a forgery device and two drug offenses.

According to police, Freitas is linked to a forgery case in which her sister attempted to cash a forged check in the amount of $4,089 on Jan. 14 at the American Savings Bank in the Foodland store on Harding Avenue.

According to the sister, Freitas had given her an envelope containing a check made payable to the sister. Both the check and envelope were wet, and the ink was running -- characteristics of what is commonly known as a "washed check," police said.

The sister said Freitas told her to open an account with the check and withdraw $2,700 -- an amount they would split. The sister knew the check was forged and when she asked why it was made payable to her, Freitas allegedly responded, "It has to be made out to you because you're the one cashing it."

The teller immediately recognized the check as being "washed" and contacted the account owner, who confirmed he had just written the check that morning in the amount of $1,089.80 and placed the envelope containing his check in his mailbox.

Police arrested Freitas' sister but could not locate Freitas, who had been waiting outside in her sister's car, which was parked in a handicapped stall.

On Monday, police obtained a search warrant for Freitas' home and seized fake driver's licenses, stolen credit cards, computer equipment and drug paraphernalia. Freitas was also arrested. Police suspect she used the proceeds of her identity theft scheme to purchase drugs.