Speedy Gonzalez Stopped In Tracks, Charged With Forgery, ID Theft

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — A suspect identified by Gwinnett County Police as Speedy Gonzalez — yes, really — has been apprehended in connection with checks that disappeared from the mailbox of a Suwanee home earlier this year.

Gonzalez, 35, of Buford, was arrested in Duluth during a traffic stop on April 25 and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail. He was charged with one count of forgery, two counts of identity fraud and three counts of theft by deception.

The arrest stems from checks that went missing from a mailbox at a home on Lake Haven Way in Suwanee on Jan. 21. According to the police report filed on Jan. 28, the victim stated that after leaving outgoing mail in his mailbox, he returned several hours later to find the box empty and open but its flag still up. He later called the businesses where the checks were to have been delivered, and none had been received.

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On Jan. 22, an unknown suspect purchased more than $3,000 worth of merchandise from the Home Depot on Stone Mountain Highway, using those stolen checks and the identity of another person to endorse them. The same suspect later returned the purchased items for cash. The Gwinnett County Police released video of the suspect to the public, which led to an identification.

According to the arrest report, Gonzalez also has outstanding arrest warrants through the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.

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