Full Notification

On Thursday, February 9, 2017, Hope Mills Police Officers responded to the State Employees Credit Union in reference to subjects attempting to commit fraud. Upon arrival, Officers found that the suspects had already left scene prior to their arrival. However, another Officer, after receiving a description of the suspects and their vehicle from the Officers on-scene at the bank, saw the suspects on Rockfish Road and attempted to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle. When the Officer activated his blue lights the suspect vehicle refused to stop and a short vehicle chase ensued which ended when the suspects stopped on Cricket Road just outside the Hope Mills city limits. After the vehicle stopped, Officers arrested the occupants of the vehicle who were later identified as Haley Elizabeth Knight, 29 of the 6300 block of Mabe Road, Fayetteville and, Cristy Yoseline Cervantes, 24 of the 150 block of Gunter Street in Sanford.

During the course of the follow-up investigation into this crime, it was found that both subjects were part of a larger organization that is involved with stealing and passing checks and other financial instruments in multiple jurisdictions both in North Carolina and, other states. Both subjects were transported to the Cumberland County Detention Center where they were jailed for the following charges:

Haley Elizabeth Knight $15,000.00 bond

1 count of Felony Identity Theft
1 count of Felony Receiving Stolen Property
1 count of Felony Conspiracy
1 count of Felony Uttering
1 count of Felony Attempted Obtaining Property by False Pretense

Cristy Yoseline Cervantes $15,000.00 bond

1 count of Felony Identity Theft
1 count of Felony Receiving Stolen Property
1 count of Felony Conspiracy
1 count of Felony Uttering
1 count of Felony Attempted Obtaining Property by False Pretense

This investigation is ongoing and, more arrests of other individuals are likely.