Check fraud suspects arrested in San Luis Obispo

Three Fresno residents are facing criminal charges for check fraud and child endangerment in the City of San Luis Obispo.

SLO police say they began investigating reports of three individuals passing fraudulent checks throughout the city on April 11. Thanks to a witness who provided police with a description of the suspect vehicle and license plate number, officers were able to locate the car the following day at a motel in the 1500 block of Calle Joaquin.

The San Luis Obispo Police Department said officers found evidence of fraudulent check manufacturing during a search of the car. 37-year-old Lamont Taylor and Christine Vulich, 33, were taken into custody.

Both of the suspects told police they had a 3-year-old daughter under the care of a friend at one of the motel rooms.

“Investigators went to the room to check the welfare of the child and found [40-year-old Arnoldo Silva] unresponsive in the room due to drug use,” said the SLO Police Department in a written statement. “The 3-year-old was found in extremely unhealthy conditions with methamphetamine and drug smoking equipment readily accessible to her.”

Silva was arrested. The 3-year-old was turned over to SLO County Child Welfare Services.

Investigators believe all three suspects are responsible for at least $160,000 dollars in fraud-related losses. All three were booked into SLO County Jail with bail set at $150,000.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7312.