Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Authorities arrested one of Utah's most wanted criminals early Thursday morning. Melinda Greene, 31, is accused of breaking into cars, stealing personal information and defrauding victims across the Wasatch Front.
U.S. postal inspectors have been trying to track down Greene since she was indicted April 14 on five counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Members of the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team spotted a vehicle believed to be connected to Greene around 2 a.m. Thursday in the parking lot of the Best Inn & Suites near 1000 S. Main St. in Salt Lake City.
JCAT officers then located the room the people driving the vehicle were staying in.
Rick Simonelli of the U.S. Marshals said, "We did a knock and talk at a hotel room and observed one of our federal fugitives, one of Utah's Most Wanted, Melinda Greene, laying on the bed. We recognized her immediately and placed her under arrest."
Greene is accused of burglarizing several cars, then using identity information taken from inside the vehicles to steal from the victim's bank accounts.
Postal inspectors say Greene has defrauded people of roughly $50,000 in cities including West Jordan, Sandy, West Valley City and Park City.
If convicted, Greene could get 30 years in prison for each of the five counts of bank fraud she's facing. U.S. postal inspectors say there may be several more victims.
E-mail: spark@ksl.com
