Palo Alto, CA -- On January 7, 2003, at 12:30PM, Palo Alto Police Officer Aaron Sunseri learned that a group of probationers and a parolee were staying in a room at the Craig Hotel at 164 Hamilton Avenue. Six people were staying in one room, without bath, meant for single resident occupancy. Because conditions of their probation and parole allow police searches of their residence, four Palo Alto officers contacted the occupants of the room. What they found inside possibly thwarted dozens of fraud cases saving at least fifty midpeninsula residents the frustration of becoming victims of identity theft.

Along with a small quantity of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, officers found mail, credit cards, hundreds of checks and a book containing the personal and identifying information of at least fifty potential victims stolen from people who live in Palo Alto, Belmont, Hillsborough, Redwood City, Menlo Park, and Woodside. Some of the recovered checks had yet to be altered while other had been "washed" which, in effect, erases the proper names from the drafts and allows fictitious names to be inserted.

Detectives are working closely with investigators in the other police jurisdictions and are beginning the arduous task of contacting each and every victim, some of whom may not even know that they have been victimized.

Michael Riley, 21, 630 Los Robles Avenue #12, was arrested on charges of possession of stolen property, forgery and providing false information to police.

Joel Augustin McQueen, 24, 2203 Menalto Ave, East Palo Alto was arrested on charges of possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Kevin Makasinaka Makasini, 22, 611 Heller Street, Redwood City, was arrested on a parole violation.

Jamie Elonna Hamilton, 22, 621 Heller St. Redwood City, was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and a probation violation.

All four were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. Two other people in the room were identified and released without charges.

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