Sweet Home police arrested a local woman Thursday morning, Jan. 25, on theft, forgery and drug possession charges.
According to Chief Jeff Lynn, at approximately 8:18 a.m. Thursday, Sweet Home police officers, with assistance from members of the Linn County Interagency Narcotics Team, served an “identity theft- related search warrant” at 1551 12th Avenue, #5, in Sweet Home.
When law enforcement arrived, they encountered two adults on the property, he said.
During the investigation, detectives seized electronic instruments, counterfeiting equipment, items belonging to a victim of theft, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and firearms, Lynn said.
Trudy Lynn Meier-Keller, 55, was taken into custody and charged with 13 counts of identity theft, five counts of first-degree forgery, mail theft, computer crime, second-degree theft and possession of methamphetamine. She was booked and transported to the Linn County Sheriff Jail.
Brian Kirk Meier, 49, was taken into custody for possession of methamphetamine. He was booked, cited and released
Lynn said his department launched an investigation into burglary and identity theft after a report of fraudulent charges on the victim’s checking account. During the investigation, Sweet Home Police Officer David Hickcox learned that several other accounts had been opened in the victim’s name. The victim had been a neighbor of the suspects until he became ill and needed to be hospitalized.
The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact Hickcox or Detective Cyndi Pichardo at (541) 367-5181.