Local woman arrested after fraudulent checks used at South Lamar

Investigators with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report on November 25, 2025 that fraudulent checks had been used at the Chevron gas station on South Lamar Boulevard. The inquiry led deputies to a vehicle frequently used by Katherine Joya, which was stopped on December 2, 2025 on Highway 6 West near County Road 171. After concluding the on scene investigation, deputies arrested Joya on a charge of false pretense over five hundred dollars.

Joya appeared before a Justice Court Judge on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 and was issued a ten thousand dollar bond. She is currently being held at the Lafayette County Detention Center on a hold for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The county arrest followed the original theft report and a targeted vehicle stop that linked the suspect to the checks allegedly passed at the South Lamar business.

For Lafayette County residents and local merchants the case underscores how financial fraud can affect small businesses and everyday transactions. Gas stations and other high turnover retailers are often targeted with counterfeit or improperly authorized payment instruments, and even a single incident can impose administrative costs and erode consumer confidence. Business owners should be alert to unusual payment patterns and report suspicious transactions promptly to law enforcement and their financial institutions.

The case also illustrates the intersection between local criminal investigations and federal immigration enforcement. The presence of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold means that federal authorities have placed a detainer while local criminal proceedings continue under the authority of the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office and the local court system. Members of the public with concerns about civil liberties or due process can follow court records for developments and direct inquiries to the appropriate agencies.

Investigators say the matter began with the November 25 report and culminated in the December 2 stop and December 3 court appearance. Residents seeking to protect themselves can monitor account activity closely, require identification when accepting unfamiliar forms of payment, and contact the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office to report any related information. The community can expect further updates as legal proceedings advance and as law enforcement completes any remaining investigatory steps.