An East Chicago man is facing misdemeanor charges after a traffic stop led officers to discover identification documents they believe to be fraudulent.
According to police, officers stopped a Ford sedan around 8:33 p.m. on January 26, 2026, near the intersection of 149th Street and Euclid Avenue. The driver, later identified as 26-year-old Reyson Alexander Medina Velasquez of East Chicago, was unable to provide verifiable identification.
Medina initially gave officers one name, then later provided a different last name, claiming he previously held an Illinois driver’s license. Attempts to verify his identity through police databases were unsuccessful. He told officers he only had a Venezuelan identification card, though a wallet in his possession also contained a Social Security card that did not return any records when checked.
Medina was taken into custody without incident and transported to the East Chicago Police Department. During a search of his property, officers reportedly found a U.S. Permanent Resident Card that appeared suspicious due to missing holographic features and irregular card construction. The Social Security card was also noted to have unusual coloring and design.
Medina was lodged in the Lake County Jail. Charges filed on January 28, 2026, include false government-issued identification, a Class A misdemeanor, and operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license, a Class C misdemeanor.