August 2006 - Posts
On Saturday August 26 at 6 AM,
officers from the El Paso Sheriff Department, the County Attorney's Office, the
US Marshals Office, the Tax Assessor and County Constables initiated an arrest
warrant round up, as part of Operation Bounce.
In
total, 11 teams went out in search of 104 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants
for writing hot checks.
In
6 hours, the officers were able to detain 14 fugitives, but only 5 were booked
into the County jail. The other nine individuals paid the outstanding amounts
and fees, and were released immediately.
With
today's round up, the County Attorney's Office was able to collect another
$8,868 for local merchants. That amount, along with the approximately 125,000
that were collected during the amnesty period, bring the total collections of
Operation Bounce to more than $133,000.
Operation
Bounce is not over. During the next couple of weeks, officers from the County Attorney's
Office will keep searching for individuals with outstanding arrest warrants for
writing hot checks.
Wednesday
August 9 the El Paso County
Attorney José Rodríguez, El Paso Sheriff Leo
Samaniego, County Constables and members of several other law
enforcement agencies announced the implementation of Operation "Bounce", a
major initiative directed towards the prosecution and collection of money from
hot check writers.
The operation will begin on Sunday, August 13 with the
publication of the more than 4,500 names of individuals
with theft by check outstanding warrants, representing almost $ 4 million
dollars.
The
publication of the list marks the start of a 2-week amnesty period during which
the hot check writers may avoid arrest and criminal prosecution if they voluntarily
pay off their hot-check balances at the El Paso County Courthouse.
During
this period, the Hot Check payment windows at the County Attorney's Office (500
E. San Antonio, room 503) will remain open Monday thru Friday from 7 AM to 6
PM. Individuals must pay the exact amount due. Change is not available at the windows. Payments can be made
by money order, cashiers checks, cash (exact amount only), or Visa and Master
Card credit cards. No debit or check cards will be accepted.
Operation
"Bounce" will begin immediately after the end of the amnesty period, on August
26. Deputies from the Sheriff Office, the County Constables,
and several other local law enforcement agencies will start a countywide arrest
warrant round-up. The round-up will consist of officers going out and arresting
hot-check writers at their homes or place of employment.
During
a similar operation conducted earlier this year with the El Paso Police
Department, the County
Attorney's Office recovered
more than $180,000 for local business. Still it currently has almost five
thousand outstanding hot check warrants that represent around $ 3.95 million
dollars owed to local merchants.
"Although
it has been decreasing over the years, theft by check is still a serious
problem in our community. Local small businesses often face financial
difficulties because of their losses from hot checks", said County Attorney
José Rodríguez.
"Operation
Bounce is just one of several initiatives from our office directed towards
decreasing this problem in our community. We are making it easier for merchants
to report hot checks; we are giving them electronic access to their accounts 24
hours a day, 7 days a week to find out about any payments made to their
account. And we are getting ready to begin a "most wanted" type of program for
hot check writers", explained Rodríguez.
For more information regarding hot check payments and
balances; please contact the El Paso County Attorney's Office Hot Check Unit at
546-2051.
The complete and updated list of individuals with theft by check outstanding warrants has been posted in
the El Paso County web site at: www.epcounty.com
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Operation Bounce Press Release.pdf
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El Paso County residents
with outstanding hot check warrants have only 2 days left to pay to avoid
arrest during the upcoming Operation "Bounce".
The amnesty period for hot
check writers began on August 14 and it is scheduled to end on Friday August 25
at 6 PM.
Since
the beginning of the amnesty period, the El Paso County Attorney's Office has
received $79,957 in payments from hot check writers, and we expect an even
greater turnout during the last 2 days of the program. More than 60 % the
amount was collected during the last 3 days.
Individuals
with outstanding hot check warrants who pay during the amnesty period avoid
arrest and may avoid prosecution, plus they will save hundreds of dollars in
fees related to incarceration, such as court fees, attorney fees, and payment
of bonds. However, they still have to pay a merchant fee and a collection fee.
Individuals who do not pay their outstanding dues
during the amnesty period will be targeted for arrest during a round up called
"Operation Bounce." The operation will be conducted without prior notice
anytime after the end of the amnesty period. Deputies from the Sheriff Office,
the County Constables, the US Marshals
Office, and several other local law enforcement agencies will go out at day or
night arresting hot-check writers at their homes or places of employment.
Hot
Check payment windows at the County Attorney's Office (500 E. San Antonio, room 503) will have special hours only until this
Friday August 25, from 7 AM
to 6 PM.
Individuals must pay the exact amount due. Change is not available at the
windows. Payments can be made by money order, cashiers checks, cash (exact
amount only), or Visa and Master Card credit cards. No debit or check cards
will be accepted.
For more information regarding hot check payments and
balances; please contact the El Paso County Attorney's Office Hot Check Unit at
546-2051.
The complete and updated list of individuals with theft by check outstanding warrants has been posted in
the El Paso County web site at: www.epcounty.com
- 30 -
Hot Checks Collections Press Release #2.pdf
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Local community leaders, among them
El Paso Mayor John Cook, State Senator Eliot Shapleigh, State Representative
Norma Chavez, County Attorney José Rodríguez, and Socorro Mayor Trini Lopez,
will unveil and sign a resolution on the issue of immigration reform.
The
resolution is a policy statement drafted after testimony presented at today's "Mayor's
Congreso on Immigration Reform".
The policy
statement, along with testimony presented today at City Hall, will be
officially included in the congressional record of the hearing that the House Judiciary
Committee will conduct tomorrow at the Chamizal National Memorial.
WHO: Local Community leaders
WHAT: Unveiling of Immigration Reform Resolution
WHEN: Thursday August 17, 2006 at 8:45 AM
WHERE: Chamizal National Memorial 800 S. San Marcial St.
Immigration resolution.pdf
During today's
annual Hot Check Seminar, El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez unveiled today a new free
service that will provide merchants with faster access to funds collected by
this office from hot checks writers.
The "On-line
Inquiry" program will grant registered merchants access to their hot check
accounts via internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing them to learn
instantly about the latest payments received and any other activities
registered under their accounts.
Under
the old system, merchants had to call the County Attorney's
Office to find out if any payments had been made to their account. Often the
merchants would find out about collections days or weeks after a payment had
been received.
With
the new system, after registering on-line, the merchants get a password to
access a computer program called ‘tracer' that allows them to access their
financial records via the internet. The merchants can verify the number and
amounts of the checks submitted for collection, and can find out in real time
whenever a payment has been posted to their account.
"The
On-line Inquiry system not only makes it more convenient for merchants to regularly
verify the status of their accounts, but also allows them for faster recovery
on hot check funds collected," explained El Paso County Attorney José
Rodríguez.
"We feel that by facilitating merchants with
faster recovery on outstanding amounts, we are allowing them to re-invest the money
back into their business, increasing the economic activity in our community", concluded
Rodríguez.
- 30 -
County Attorney Jose
Rodriguez will be available for interviews immediately following his opening
remarks during the hot checks seminar around 9:30 AM, on the 3rd
floor of the County Building, 500 E. San Antonio. For further arrangements, please
call Elhiu Dominguez at 546-2016.
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Hot Check On-Line Inquiry Press Release.pdf
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Learn
how to collect restitution and fees from hot check writers
El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez will be offering a
free seminar to explain to local merchants and the general public how they can
take advantage of the free hot check collection service offered by the Hot
Check Unit.
Writing a hot check is a crime that hurts many El Paso businesses, the
local economy and the community in general. The El Paso County Attorney’s
Office prosecutes these crimes and collects from the hot check writers
restitution and a $30 fee that is given to the merchant. And even though many
big companies in El Paso
take advantage of the program, thousands of small businesses do not, in part
because they don’t know the service is free.
The purpose of the seminar is to give details about the
program and to answer any questions the public might have. At the event, the County Attorney’s
Office will announce a new policy in certified mail and notice of dishonor
letters that will save all merchants time and money.
The Hot Check Unit will also introduce a new service called
‘on-line inquiry’ that will grant registered merchants access to their hot
check accounts via internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing them to
learn instantly about the latest payments received and any other activities
registered under their names.
WHAT: Hot
Check Seminar
Hot Check Seminar Page #2
WHEN: Friday August 11th, 2006
TIME: 8:30 AM
WHERE: Commissioner’s
Court Auditorium
County Courthouse Room 303
500 E. San Antonio
For more information on the seminar, or how to get a free
hot check packet by mail, please call the Hot Check Department, at 546-2051.
-
30 -
For those interested members of the media,
County Attorney José Rodríguez will be
available for interviews immediately following his opening remarks. For further
arrangements, please call Elhiu Dominguez at 546-2016.
Hot Checks Seminar.pdf
On Wednesday August 9 at 10 AM, El
Paso County Attorney
José Rodríguez and Sheriff Leo Samaniego
will join representatives of other law enforcement agencies to announce a major
initiative, "Operation Bounce", to collect on money owed to El Paso businesses
by hot check writers.
The initiative will include the
publication of a list with thousands of names of individuals sought on
outstanding hot check warrants, the announcement of an amnesty period and the
implementation of an arrest warrant round up at the end of the grace period.
Additional information about the operation will be released
at the scheduled press conference.
WHO: County Attorney's Office and El Paso Sheriff's
Office
WHAT: Operation
"BOUNCE" Press Conference
WHEN: Wednesday August 9, 2006 at 10:00 AM
WHERE: El Paso County
Commissioner's Courtroom
500
E. San Antonio,
3rd floor
-
30 -
Operation Bounce Press Conference.pdf
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The El
Paso County Attorney's Office will offer two free seminars to teach senior
citizens about the new criminal trends affecting the elderly in our community
and the precautions they should take to avoid becoming a victim of deceptive
business practices.
The seminars will include discussion about identity theft
and tips on how to avoid problems if purchasing a used vehicle. Other topics
will include landscaping home remodeling and car repair scams.
The first seminar is scheduled for Thursday Aug. 10 at 3:00 PM at the Sun Plaza Complex, 233
Cortez in Central El Paso.
The second seminar will be offered on Wednesday Aug. 16 at 10:30 AM at the Southside Senior
Citizen Center,
600 S. Ochoa in Downtown El Paso.
WHO: County Attorney's Deceptive Business Practices Unit
WHAT: Elderly
Consumer Protection Seminar
WHEN: Thursday August 10, 2006 at 3:00 PM
WHERE: Sun Plaza Complex
233 Cortez (Central El Paso)
The
County Attorney's Office offers free consumer
protection seminars to community senior centers and non-profit organizations. For
more information please call Sylvia Perez
at 546-2193 or write her at Sylvia.Perez@ca.epcounty.com.
- 30 -
Elderly Deceptive Business Seminar #1.pdf
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