Local News

Couple Arrested In Alleged Identity-Theft Scheme

Posted Updated
Capotes
HOKE COUNTY, N.C. — Investigators said a couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing people's identities in Hoke County's largest identity-theft scheme to date.

Juan Capote, 50, and his wife, 27-year-old Catalina Capote, of 227 Hillcrest Drive in Hillcrest, were charged with felony identity theft after a Sept. 5 search of their home yielded forgery equipment and fake IDs, said authorities.

"The Capotes were very organized -- like a one-stop shopping plaza at home," said Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin. "People were apparently paying from $600 to $700 to get an entire set of fake identifications, or from $50 to $200 for individual ID cards."

Peterkin said detectives confiscated books containing hundreds of names and identification information, including birth dates and Social Security cards.

"Not only should the Capotes have not been committing these crimes to steal people's identifications, they should never have tried to get away with it in Hoke County," he said. "The sad thing is, this scam was hurting innocent people."

The Capotes are in the Hoke County Jail on $250,000 bond apiece. The couple's children were at home during the raid, but relatives are now caring for them.

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.