A Newbury Park man has been sentenced to six years in state prison after being found guilty of cashing fraudulent checks, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office confirmed. Rene Francisco Montes, who was born on June 23, 1989, faced charges for illegal use of personal identifying information and admitted to committing the crimes while on parole, along with other special allegations.
Deputy District Attorney Celeste Sanchez, who is affiliated with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office General Trials Unit, handled the prosecution. On September 5, 2024, after being convicted by a jury on August 5, Montes received his sentence. "The defendant's actions were part of a calculated scheme to steal directly from the victim's bank account," said Ms. Sanchez, according to the official press release. The justice system sent Montes to prison, trying to cash checks stolen in a home burglary.
Montes was implicated in the case when he cashed two checks of $825 each at a check-cashing business. He made these transactions on September 23 and 25 of 2023. A third attempt at a Thousand Oaks bank led to the scam unraveling, where the victim’s account had already been flagged for fraudulent activity. Montes fled the scene before law enforcement could arrive, but surveillance footage helped in identifying him as the suspect. Before his arrest on October 10, 2023, Montes was already on parole.
In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered Montes to pay restitution in the amount of $825 to the victim. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office deputies, bank tellers, and jurors who all played a role in securing a conviction against Montes were praised by the prosecuting attorney. "I want to thank the deputies, bank tellers, and jurors who assisted in obtaining justice for the victim in this case," communicated the District Attorney's Office through a statement.
For further inquiries on the case, Joey Buttitta, Communications Manager/PIO of the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, has been listed as the contact. The detailed account of the criminal charges and special allegations admitted by Montes offers a glimpse into the justice served on case number 2023027068.
