Full Notification

WHAT: Check Fraud

WHEN: April 12, 2017

WHERE: 1500 Block Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo

SUSPECT: Arnoldo SILVA, 40 Year Old Resident of Fresno
Lamont TAYLOR, 37 Year Old Resident of Fresno
Christine VULICH, 33 Year Old Resident of Fresno

DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Sergeant Chad Pfarr

On April 11, 2017 the San Luis Obispo Police Department began receiving complaints from local businesses about two males and a female who had been passing fraudulent checks throughout the City. One of the victims was able to provide the Police Department with a license plate and vehicle description. We also received photos of two involved suspects at the CVS store in San Luis Obispo.

On April 12, a San Luis Obispo Police Officer located the suspect vehicle in a motel parking lot in the 1500 block of Calle Joaquin. A traffic stop was conducted and evidence of fraudulent check manufacturing was seen inside the car. Suspects Lamont TAYLOR and Christine VULICH were both taken into custody on fraud related charges.

TAYLOR and VULICH told officers they had a room at one of the nearby motels and that their 3 year old daughter was still in the room under the care of a friend, Arnoldo SILVA. Investigators went to the room to check the welfare of the child and found SILVA unresponsive in the room due to drug use. The 3 year old female was present and alert. The 3 year old was found in extremely unhealthy conditions with methamphetamine and drug smoking equipment readily accessible to her. She was immediately taken for an emergency medical evaluation and was placed into the custody of County Child Welfare Services.

Additional evidence in the motel room linked the suspects to ongoing check fraud cases being investigated by the San Luis Obispo and Atascadero Police Departments. Currently theses suspects are believed to be responsible for approximately $160,000 in fraud related losses with additional losses expected.

All three suspects were booked into custody at the San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $150,000.

If you have any information about this crime you are encouraged to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at 805-549-STOP.