IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – A former gas station employee has been arrested after allegedly forging and cashing blank business checks worth over $29,000.
Moroni Ramirez-Perez, 20, is facing felony charges of grand theft, forgery, possession of a forged check, and grand larceny.
According to court documents, the owner of Shaka’s Convenience Store reported to Idaho Falls police on June 30 that Ramirez-Perez had stolen and forged 34 pre-stamped business checks, making them payable to himself between March 7 and May 10, 2024. The stolen checks reportedly totaled $29,347.
Store policy previously allowed employees to use the pre-stamped checks for vendor payments when a manager was unavailable, but the owner has since restricted access to managers only.
When officers contacted Ramirez-Perez on July 16, he denied any knowledge of the missing funds and stated he had moved out of state. He declined to meet in person but offered to answer questions over the phone. However, after multiple follow-up attempts in August, officers were unable to reach him.
A warrant for his arrest was issued on February 4, 2025, and served on Wednesday. He was booked into Bonneville County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Ramirez-Perez is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 25. If convicted, he could face up to 56 years in prison.
Although he has been charged, Ramirez-Perez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
