Larchwood, Iowa — A Worthington (MN) man has been arrested on a warrant for felony gambling charges after an incident in July.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Lyon County Clerk of Court’s Office by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), 49-year-old Cerritos Mejia of Worthington is accused of claiming a jackpot that didn’t belong to him and using a fraudulent name to avoid federal tax. He was arrested on Tuesday.
In his statement, the agent says Mejia claimed to be the winner of the $1500 jackpot at Grand Falls Casino near Larchwood. He is alleged to have moved into the seat that another person was playing. The agent says he provided a Minnesota ID card and a fraudulent name.
Mejia was charged with gambling – avoid forfeiture of money, and conspiracy to commit non-forcible felony. He also faces five counts of forgery, identity theft over $10,000, and second-degree fraudulent practice. All are class D felonies except the identity theft charge, which is a class C felony.
If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison on each class D count and ten years on the class C count.
No court dates have yet been set in the case.
At last report, Mejia remained in the Lyon County Jail in Rock Rapids in lieu of a $50,000 bond.
