Police suspect ID theft in arrests of 2

A routine traffic stop ended Thursday in Livingston with two wanted men behind bars and officers seizing numerous pieces of stolen mail and other evidence of possible identity theft, the Livingston Police Department reported.

Richard R. Perry Jr., 36, and Max J. Patino, 19, both of Winton, were booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of forgery, check fraud, and conspiracy. Both men face additional potential charges on several warrants, police said, however information regarding the warrants was not available Friday.

Livingston police stopped a vehicle around 11:15 p.m. Thursday in the 1400 block of Olive Avenue, officers said in a news release.

Police searched the vehicle after learning both men were wanted on warrants. Perry was on parole and Patino was on probation, police said.

Inside the vehicle, officers said they found numerous pieces of mail, possible evidence of identity theft, as well as about 100 fictitious payroll and personal checks.

Livingston police officers and the Merced County Sheriff’s Department are conducting follow up investigations regarding the bogus checks and identity theft, officers said in the statement.

Both men remained in custody Friday, according to jail records.

This story was originally published November 7, 2014 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Police suspect ID theft in arrests of 2."