A California man is sitting in Pierce County Jail after bilking Prescott’s WESTconsin Credit Union branch out of thousands of dollars by using fraudulent U.S. Treasury bond.

Jorge J. Tafolla, 47, Phelan, Calif., was ordered to pay $5,000 cash bond Oct. 10 in Pierce County Circuit Court on a felony forgery -uttering charge. If convicted, the maximum penalty is six years in prison and/or fines up to $10,000.

According to the complaint:
At 2:01 p.m. Nov. 7, 2023, a WESTconsin Credit Union risk management employee reported to police that the suspect (later identified as Tafolla) had deposited suspected fraudulent U.S. Treasury bonds when opening a new account. He has presented several bonds and received about $16,000 in funds, with about $30,000 in funds placed “on hold” in a newly opened account.

Tafolla told staff he had just moved to the area and had been a victim of identity theft, which he was working to resolve. It took the bank several days to verify the bonds’ authenticity through www.treasurvdirect.gov

During the investigation, police learned that the phone number and address Tafolla gave the bank were fake. He has listed his employment as a “journeyman carpenter” with the “Carpenters Union.”

A new software system at the bank identified a number of suspicious indicators in Tafolla’s information. For example, his Social Security number was associated with multiple birthdates and addresses. His email address was less than 180 days old and his phone number hadn’t been active long.

The U.S Treasury confirmed Nov. 15 that the four treasury bonds presented to the bank were fake. The bank is asking for restitution totaling $17,645.10.

Tafolla is scheduled to appear in court at 10:45 a.m. Oct. 31 for a status conference.