SoCal residents arrested in Bay Area on ID theft, conspiracy, drug charges following San Mateo traffic stop

Two Southern California residents suspected of multiple identity theft and other charges and were arrested after a traffic stop in the Bay Area on Sunday evening, authorities said. 

The San Mateo Police Department said in a press release on Monday that an officer pulled a vehicle over for a license plate violation in the area of Bridgepointe Parkway and Chess Drive near the Foster City border at 8:47 p.m. Sunday. The driver, who was the only occupant in the vehicle, was found to have an outstanding misdemeanor bench warrant, and he was detained.

Police identified the driver as 45-year-old La Cañada Flintridge resident Chad Correia. A search of his vehicle yielded several fraudulent California driver licenses with Correia's photo and multiple notebooks with individuals' personal identifying information, including Social Security numbers, driver license information, and banking information, according to police.

Before the traffic stop, an officer had also observed a woman was in the vehicle, and police said other officers searched the area around the traffic stop. They discovered 45-year-old Burbank resident Megan McMurray hiding behind a vehicle to the rear of a nearby hotel and two suitcases of hers were found nearby, according to police. 

McMurray was found to have two outstanding felony warrants and initially provided a false name to officers, police said. After she was detained, a search of her suitcases led to the discovery of methamphetamine, heroin, Xanax packaged for sale, and drug paraphernalia, police said, along with fraudulent driver licenses and individuals' personal identifying information.

Both Correia and McMurray arrested on multipe felonies, misdemeanors, and outstanding warrants. They were booked at the San Mateo County Jail in Redwood City on charges including identity theft, conspiracy, forgery, drug possession with two or more prior convictions, among other charges.

Correia also faces a DUI charge.

Jail records show both are being held without bail on the felony charges.