The department reached out to the Stanislaus County Sheriff, who confirmed the female suspect’s true identity as Stephanie Maghoney.
CERES, Calif — One of the suspects of the two people involved in an alleged kidnapping in Ceres used a false identity, according to police.
On Oct. 30, the Ceres Police Department said officers responded to the Wells Fargo bank along the 2900 block of 4th Street for a suspicious incident. Bank employees reported that an elderly woman asked for help, saying she was being kidnapped.
She was with a female suspect when police arrived. After investigating, police said the woman and 33-year-old Nicholas Payton brought the victim to the bank in an effort to have her withdraw a large amount of cash.
Payton allegedly took off before police arrived, but he was found about a block from the bank, wearing a backpack. According to police, officers found a loaded unserialized rifle after searching the backpack.
Police said Payton was banned from possessing firearms or ammunition, was on felony probation, had multiple warrants, and was also in possession of a controlled substance.
Both Payton and the woman were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, elder abuse, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
After announcing the arrests of the two suspects, Ceres police said they received public tips that the female suspect had provided a false identity during the booking process.
The department reached out to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed her true identity as Stephanie Maghoney. Officials said Maghoney had an active arrest warrant out for burglary.
The department said she was then re-arrested for the active warrant and an additional felony charge of false impersonation.