by | Published
Bexar County, Texas - A stolen identity report made just after Thanksgiving led deputies to uncover an extensive fraud and mail-theft operation involving counterfeit IDs, stolen financial documents, and credit-card manufacturing equipment. Two suspects are now in custody, and investigators are asking for the public’s help locating a third.
The case began on November 28, 2025, when a resident contacted deputies after receiving a congratulatory letter from a dealership for purchasing a 2022 Cadillac XT6 — a vehicle he never bought. A check of the vehicle identification number returned a Texas license plate registered to Jeremy Saunders, who already had a history of crimes involving possession of identifying information. The dealership told the complainant that all documents tied to the false purchase could only be released to law enforcement.
On December 1, deputies reached out to the dealership for follow-up. Staff reported that a man inside the building was actively trying to buy another vehicle using a fraudulent ID. The ID even included a misspelling of the word “expiration,” raising immediate red flags. As deputies headed to the location, an SAPD officer alerted them that the same 2022 Cadillac had just pulled into the lot, driven by the man attempting the bogus purchase.
Deputies detained the driver, who identified himself as 42-year-old Lloyd Marshal Garza. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Garza said he lived with Jeremy Saunders and claimed Saunders was the one who purchased the Cadillac and created the fake ID Garza was carrying.
A second man inside the dealership was also detained. He had been attempting to buy a 2025 vehicle valued at more than $55,000 using fraudulent information. The suspect initially refused to identify himself, but after being advised he would be transported for identification, he gave his name as 23-year-old Jose Roel Avila. Avila also received his Miranda warning and declined to give a statement.
A search of the Cadillac uncovered replica mailbox keys, an insurance check stub issued to another victim, fraudulent IDs, and a forged insurance card.
By December 2, investigators identified Jeremy Saunders as the person who used fraudulent state identification and forged the complainant’s signature to obtain the Cadillac. A follow-up interview with Garza revealed that Saunders had been creating fake IDs using a printer and cellphone, and that Garza had been living with him for about three months. Garza denied knowing the Cadillac was stolen and denied seeing firearms in Saunders’ possession. Deputies then secured arrest and search warrants for Saunders and his residence.
A later search tied to the investigation turned up evidence of a full-scale identity theft and financial-fraud operation. Items seized included:
• A credit-card manufacturing machine
• Cutting tools
• Five printers
• Specialized ID-making paper
• Multiple fraudulent Texas IDs containing Saunders’ image with victim data
• Stolen credit cards and checks removed from community mailboxes
• Three U.S. Postal Service locking mechanisms used to test counterfeit mailbox keys
• A master mailbox key copy
• A ledger containing victims’ names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, and credit scores
Garza was arrested on charges of Fraudulent Possession of Identifying Information (fewer than 5 items), Forgery of a Government Document, Unlawful Conduct with a Receptacle Key, and Driving While License Invalid. Avila was charged with False Statement to Obtain Property or Credit, Fraudulent Possession of Identifying Information (fewer than 5 items), and Forgery of a Government Document. Both were booked into the Bexar County Jail.
Jeremy Saunders remains wanted for False Statement to Obtain Property or Credit between $30,000 and $150,000 and is considered a person of interest in the broader fraud investigation. Anyone with information on his location is asked to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6000 or email BCSOTIPS@bexar.org. Tips may remain anonymous.
