Two Men From Illinois Face Charges for Fraudulent Bank Transactions with Fake ID
Chesterton Police were contacted about an attempt to withdraw money from a line of credit on January 31, 2025, at Horizon Bank, according to court documents. The suspect presented a fraudulent Michigan driver’s license in the name of the owner of the line of credit account. The license contained all of the victim’s correct personal information; however, the photograph on the license was that of the suspect. Using this fraudulent identification, the suspect successfully withdrew $4,000.00 from the line of credit. The suspect was later identified as Michael Aldaco, according to court documents.
Later that day, the bank manager discovered a similar transaction on the same line of credit account was conducted at the Horizon Bank in Portage. At that location, Michael Aldaco used the same fraudulent driver’s license to withdraw an additional $4,000.00 from the same victim’s line of credit. The bank manager contacted the victim, who confirmed that he had not made either of these withdrawals.
Surveillance video footage from the Chesterton and Portage bank branches showed Aldaco arriving in a black Nissa Pathfinder. Aldaco is observed exiting the passenger side of the vehicle while the driver, later identified as Jerrod Joiner Jr, remained nearby, waiting down the street acting as the “getaway driver”. Once Michael Aldaco completed the fraudulent transactions, the vehicle pulled up, and Aldaco re-entered the passenger seat before leaving the area.
Police used cameras to locate the suspect vehicle matching this description in the areas of both Horizon Bank locations at the times that fraudulent transactions occurred. The officer attempted to identify the registered owner of the vehicle, but records indicated the vehicle had been purchased and registered using fraudulent information.
On February 10, 2025, police cameras captured the same vehicle traveling eastbound on US 30 in Valparaiso. A Laporte County Deputy pursued the vehicle driven by Jerrod Y. Joiner Jr., heading WB on US 30 towards Porter County. After a nearly 30-minute pursuit, during which the vehicle’s tires were spiked, the suspect vehicle came to a stop on the toll road in Portage. Joiner and the passenger, Aldaco, fled on foot, but were ultimately apprehended by the officers from the Porter County Sheriff’s Department and the Chesterton PD. An officer later advised that, just prior to the pursuit, Michael Aldaco had attempted a similar fraudulent transaction at the Horizon Bank in Wanatah. Additionally, on January 31,2025, the same Michael A. Aldaco had completed a fraudulent transaction at the Horizon Bank on Johnson Road in Laporte County.
Both suspects are being lodged at the Porter County Jail. Aldaco is facing charges of Fraud, a Level 5 felony, and Identity Deception, a Level 6 felony. Joiner is facing charges of Aiding, Inducing or Causing Fraud, a Level 5 Felony, and Aiding, Inducing or Causing Identity Deception, a Level 6 Felony.
