EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A woman with an extensive criminal history was arrested and charged with multiple fraud, forgery and identity theft charges about two hours after she had been released from jail on Friday, Oct. 18, according to the Mesilla, New Mexico, Marshal’s Office.
The Mesilla Marshal’s Office said Michelle Renee Casas is facing 11 counts of fraud, 20 counts of forgery, and 61 counts of identity theft.
Prior reports state Casas’ alleged criminal history began in 2016. However, the Marshal’s Office said her criminal activities began in 2001.
On Oct. 18, deputies from the Mesilla Marshal’s Office were notified of an active arrest warrant for Casas. She was released from the Doña Ana County Detention Center that day.
At about 9 p.m. deputies took her into custody in front of the Walmart on Valley Drive in Las Cruces.
While deputies were completing booking paperwork for the warrant, Casas began to “bang her head on the booking bench and fell to the floor, which is in body-worn camera footage,” according to the Marshal’s Office.
The Marshal’s Office said deputies called for medical personnel and Casas was taken to a local hospital for treatment for her “self-inflicted” injuries.
Once Casas was cleared by the hospital, she was transported to the Doña Ana County Detention Center where she was medically cleared and booked without further incident.
The Marshal’s Office said this arrest and a previous arrest of Casas resulted from an ongoing fraud and forgery investigation that began in April.
After her first arrest on Sept. 15, a search warrant was executed on her vehicle the next day on Sept. 16. Numerous items of evidence were reportedly seized including blank checks, counterfeit checks, counterfeit $100 bills, templates for U.S. currency denominations and other evidence that ties Casas to the crimes committed that were and are being investigated by the Marshal’s Office, the agency said.
The Marshal’s Office are continuing to work on the initial case that happened in April and additional charges will be filed.
The Marshal’s Office said they received information that there are additional victims that have yet to report Casas’ actions against them. If you think you may have been a victim, you can contact the Marshal’s Office at (575) 526-4138 or email Sergeant Garcia at DannyG@Mesillanm.Gov.
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