Man Charged with Making Meth, Forging Checks

RIVERSIDE, CA - A Perris man accused, with his girlfriend, of operating a drug lab and running an identity theft scam that victimized more than 100 people was charged Thursday with forgery and manufacturing methamphetamine.

Pierre Cardin Waight, 36, was arrested with Candace Marie Zie, 37, after Riverside County sheriff's investigators raided their property in the 100 block of Perou Street last Friday. Zie pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of identity theft, passing bad checks, forgery, grand theft and being in possession of controlled substances.

The convicted felon is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail at the Indio Jail and has another court appearance scheduled on April 14. Waight was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside and was slated to make his initial court appearance this afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice. According to sheriff's officials, investigators became aware of possible illicit activity at the defendants' home last month and executed a search warrant, resulting in the alleged discovery of a meth lab and indications of an extensive ID theft operation.

"During the search, deputies located stolen and forged checks, credit cards, identification cards, driver's licenses, mail and currency,'' said Sgt. Sam Morovich. "Deputies also located 'personal profiles,' which contained the victims' personal information, such as names, dates of birth, addresses, account information and Social Security numbers.''

Morovich alleged that 110 victims of fraud were identified, most of them Perris residents. The defendants allegedly snatched the victims' mail, using the information contained in bills and other communications to perpetrate the scam, according to the sergeant. According to court records, Waight has a prior misdemeanor conviction for illegal possession of marijuana. Zie has priors for cultivation of marijuana for sale, child endangerment, burglary, possession of controlled substances and use of a forged driver's license. She also has a separate identity theft case pending from two years ago, records show.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock