Woman charged with forgery after troopers seize 55 gift cards

Troopers arrested Virgen Sanchez on Thursday after officers observed a car traveling eastbound on Interstate 70 fail to utilize its turn signal as it exited the highway.

Troopers said when they made contact with the car, they noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

Officers searched the car and found marijuana, a large white printer, a laptop, a credit card scanner, and several Walmart gift cards. Troopers also found new, white unmarked gift/credit cards .

According to the probable cause statement, Sanchez was argumentative and verbally aggressive as officers were searching the car.

Troopers said they believed Sanchez and the other occupant were involved in credit/gift card fraud. During the process, new gift cards were created using the older gift cards information and then illegally sold. An old gift/credit card would be scanned utilizing the computer/scanner system. That information would be placed onto a new homemade gift card and sold to individuals to be used at unsuspecting stores.

When Sanchez was transported to the Cooper County Jail, more gift cards were found concealed in Sanchez’s shoes.

Officers said they scanned each gift card and found that several of the new, white unmarked gift cards were identifying as Walmart gift cards. The serial numbers on the Walmart gift cards did match the information revealed when the cards were scanned which confirmed the gift cards had been “re-written” for sale.

According to the probable cause statement, a total of 55 gift cards were seized.

Sanchez was charged with forgery, possession of a forgery instrument and counterfeiting.