A routine traffic stop in Yancey County has led to the arrest of two people wanted in multiple states on identity theft charges.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol pulled over the vehicle and discovered that one of the passengers was already wanted. The Yancey Sheriff’s Office was called in, and with the help of a K-9 team and detectives, officers found drug paraphernalia along with stolen identities, fraudulent documents, and counterfeit checks tied to several states.
Sixty-seven–year–old David Gary Teague of Jasper, Georgia, faces more than a dozen charges, including forgery, identity theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is set at just over one million dollars.
Twenty-eight–year–old Malik Jay Cisneros of Atlanta, Georgia, faces similar charges and is also being held on a one–million–dollar bond. He is expected to be extradited to Georgia for additional warrants.
Sheriff Shane Hilliard praised the teamwork between the Highway Patrol and his deputies, calling the arrests an example of strong cooperation.
The investigation is still ongoing, and authorities say more charges could be filed.
