Deputies Arrest Suspected Counterfeiter

A man suspected of paying the rent of his Cardiff office with counterfeit checks was arrested Friday after the landlord called authorities, according to the San Diego Sheriff's Department.

The suspect was identified as Damon Westmoreland, 39, although he holds an Aruba passport and his true identity is yet to be determined, according to the Sheriff's Department. He was arrested after a search warrant was served on a studio on Montgomery Avenue in Cardiff and a residence in Solana Beach.

After the landlord contacted authorities about four checks the suspect used to pay the rent, Deputy Brian Bloomberg responded and saw check-making materials and computer workstations. He obtained the two search warrants, and check-forging and counterfeiting items were recovered. Information on 10 additional banks and a Nevada Limited Liability Corporation were identified and collected, according to the Sheriff's Department.

A preliminary investigation by the Sheriff's financial crimes detectives indicate the suspect allegedly committed check fraud using a large number of corporations, and additional law-enforcement agencies may join the investigation.