2 Men Accused Of Forging $65K In Blank Checks From Somerset County Contractor

SOUTH BOUND BROOK, NJ — Two men were charged after police say they stole, forged, and cashed checks from their employer in South Bound Brook for more than $65,000 in purchases, announced Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman, Jr.

Carlos R. Escobar, 38, of Jefferson Avenue, North Plainfield, and Ciro A. Saenz-Puentes, 44, Remson Avenue, New Brunswick, were each charged with third-degree theft by deception, third-degree forgery, and third-degree uttering a false document.

Authorities got involved after the owner of a contracting company in South Bound Brook where both Escobar and Saenz-Puentes alerted police.

Detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigation Unit and the South Bound Brook Police Department investigated and found that Escobar and Saenz-Puentes stole blank checks belonging to their employer, forged the checks, and then cashed them for unauthorized purchases estimated at $65,156.02 from September to December 2022, said McDonald.

On Sept. 8, Escobar and Saenz-Puentes were both arrested at the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office without incident and charged.

Both were processed and released pending a court hearing in this matter.

Anyone with information relating to the theft is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Unit at 908-231-7100 or the South Bound Brook Police Department at 732-356-0087 or via the STOPit app. The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smartphone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

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