Bail cut for accused leader of $1M Zirkle Fruit theft ring

By Kristin M. Kraemer / Tri-City Herald

The alleged leader of a nearly $1 million theft ring at Zirkle Fruit Company claims she was five miles from the Mexican border when arrested because she’d been crossing back and forth to get dental work.

Norma Ruth Garza had a bus voucher in her purse and was on her way back home to Eastern Washington when she was caught on a nationwide warrant, her attorney explained Wednesday.

Garza, 52, initially left Grandview because she was having issues with her husband, said attorney Karla Kane Hudson. It had nothing to do with the theft ring investigation, she said.

The former bookkeeper and her co-worker allegedly issued paychecks to “phantom employees.”

Garza was booked into the Benton County jail on July 12 after her extradition from Imperial County in Southern California. She’s charged in Benton County Superior Court with leading organized crime and four counts of forgery.

Kane Hudson pointed out her client’s lack of criminal history in asking for bail to be reduced from $100,000 to $10,000.

“Part of the issue with her leaving the area is her son was murdered in November, and that caused friction with her husband,” the lawyer said.

Garza went to Florida to deal with her grief while staying with a sister, then visited a friend in Arizona and eventually traveled to Mexico for the dental work, she said.

“She in no way plans on running from these charges,” Kane Hudson told Judge Jackie Shea Brown. “She has ties to the community, this is where her life is and she’s ready to deal with these charges.”

Shea Brown called the allegations extremely concerning, including the fact that Garza called her job about the extra paychecks on the day she was off to attend her late son’s viewing.

“This reflects a level of sophistication that I’m mindful of as I set bail,” the judge said.

Shea Brown dropped bail to $75,000 and ordered Garza to turn over her passport.

Garza, who sobbed before and after her hearing, waved goodbye to her family as she was led out of the courtroom.

She still was in custody as of Wednesday evening, according to jail records. Her trial is set for Aug. 28.

Garza, fellow bookkeeper Maria Teresa Galarza and nine of their family and friends were charged in late May with stealing from the Selah-based company. Zirkle Fruit is one of the largest apple and cherry operations in Eastern Washington.

The women worked out of the Paterson branch and had paychecks issued to people whose names were on the payroll list even though they never performed actual work, court documents said.

Their scheme unraveled last November when both women were off on payday — Galarza on a scheduled vacation and Garza to mourn her son, documents said.

A Finley ranch manager questioned why he’d been given 10 extra checks for non-employees, and both women allegedly called in that day to claim there had been a mistake.

Garza declined to speak to company security about the investigation, and could not be found in the months following by a Benton County sheriff’s detective for an interview.

A statement from Zirkle Fruit in June said the theft ring appeared to be isolated to a single ranch and the company has since implemented controls “to protect against future such operations.”

The investigation dated back to April 2010, and totaled $956,153 in fraudulent paychecks, court documents said.

Galarza, 38, is charged with first-degree identity theft and five counts of forgery. Her husband, Geronimo Marquez Galarza, 44, faces first-degree theft and three counts of forgery.

No-bail warrants have been issued for the Mabton couple after they missed their first appearance in Superior Court and have yet to be found.

Enrique Barriga Moreno, Garza’s husband, allegedly received the most paychecks at 289 total. His alias, Daniel Alvarez, received 272 separate checks, documents said.

Barriga Moreno, 58, is charged with first-degree theft and eight counts of forgery.

Deputy Prosecutor Brendan Siefken said Wednesday that Garza is looking at a recommended seven years and three months in prison if she pleads guilty before trial. If not, additional charges will be filed along with the aggravating factor that it was a major economic offense, he said.