by Sonoma County, California — Three East Coast residents, including a woman previously reported missing in Connecticut, have been arrested in the San Francisco Bay Area in connection with an alleged bank fraud scheme.
According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the arrests followed a monthslong investigation into identity theft and fraudulent withdrawals targeting multiple financial institutions.
Detectives said at least five suspects traveled nearly 3,000 miles from New York to Sonoma County and were involved in the alleged scheme.
Authorities conducted surveillance last week as suspects allegedly made fraudulent withdrawals at several Bay Area banks.
Three Arrested, More Evidence Recovered
On Thursday, deputies arrested three individuals without incident. They were identified as Carleen McGeachie, Richard Logan and Heaven Richards.
All three were booked into the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of bank fraud and identity theft. Officials said they are being held without bail.
Following the arrests, investigators executed a search warrant at a hotel in Vacaville where the suspects were staying.
Deputies recovered more than $15,000 in cash, along with fraudulent identification cards and credit cards.
A search of a suspect vehicle also reportedly yielded additional evidence related to the case.
Missing Person Case Tied to Arrest
Authorities confirmed that Carleen McGeachie had previously been reported missing in New Haven, Connecticut on Nov. 11 — more than two months after she was last seen by family members.
Police in New Haven confirmed to media outlets that the woman arrested in Sonoma County is the same person who had been listed as missing.
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Officials did not release details about where in New York the suspects are originally from.
Investigation Ongoing
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and additional suspects may still be involved.
Detectives are continuing to review financial records and evidence gathered during the searches.
Anyone with information related to the case is encouraged to contact local authorities.
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