WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. – Two women are in custody in Webster Groves, accused of being part of a national stolen identity ring.
An automated license plate reader alerted Webster Groves police that a 2023 Hyundai Tucson was in the area. Police arrested Darlene Fernandez from Florida and Jamie Vega from Oklahoma. Both are connected to a fraud investigation in Indiana.
“Officers in the area started doing area canvases and were actually able to locate that vehicle, occupied, right across from our police department at a church,” Lt. Jillian McCoy, Webster Groves Police Department, said. “From the time we put that into our system at approximately (7 a.m.), we were alerted at approximately 1:30 (p.m.) that that particular vehicle with that license plate was in the area.”
Police pulled the car over for a traffic violation. Fernandez was driving the car and consented to a search.
Police claim the women had stolen identification and credit cards from six other women.
Police said they found checkbooks, debit and credit cards, and bank account numbers—even the signature of one of the victims—copied several times on a pad of paper.
“At that point, they knew that they had the correct vehicle, obviously, but then they also knew that this was potentially connected to the Felony Lane Gang,” McCoy said.
The group is an organized crime gang based in Florida.
Both Vega and Fernandez were charged with trafficking stolen identities. They’re each being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond.
If anyone has seen her prior to her arrest or has any information that could help with the investigation, they are asked to call the Webster Groves Police Department. McCoy said Vega is believed to have a glass eye and a heart-shaped tattoo under her left eye.