The Alamosa Police Department (APD) has arrested two McDonald’s employees, Nathanial Gutierrez, 19, and Josiah Medina, 24, on charges of identity theft, unauthorized use of a financial transaction device, theft, and complicity.
According to the City of Alamosa, the two men, both from San Luis, were involved in a scheme that double-charged or added extra charges to customers’ meals. The arrests followed reports from victims who noticed fraudulent charges on their credit and debit cards. Gutierrez and Medina are suspected of using the Square payment app to process the fraudulent transactions.
The scheme involved charging customers for their meals, and then adding a separate transaction fee to the customer’s card via the fraudulent app. The earliest known incident occurred on October 23, and at least seven victims have come forward, though the police believe there may be additional victims.
Anyone who suspects they have been affected is urged to check their bank or credit card statements for unauthorized charges and to contact APD Officer Fabian Juarez at the Alamosa Police Department or through the Colorado State Patrol Dispatch.
All individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
