Nye County authorities: Arrests halt work of identity-theft lab

What began as a murder-for-hire investigation ended with authorities breaking up what is thought to be the largest identity theft laboratory in Nye County history, a county sheriff’s official said Monday.

Detective Trevor Meade of the Nye County sheriff’s office said 46-year-old Robert Machlan was suspected of soliciting people to kill a trial witness who was slated to testify against him. In that trial, Machlan faced 47 counts of identity theft, fraud and burglary.

On Feb. 2, the investigation led police to the Amargosa Valley home of Machlan’s girlfriend, 50-year-old Becky Justus.

Justus allowed police entry to her trailer, where they found nearly 1,000 personal identity documents thought to be linked to more than 600 victims.

Victims hailed from as far away as Pennsylvania, and there were some from California, Arizona and “tons” from Southern Nevada, Meade said.

“This thing is so overwhelmingly huge,” Meade said.

He said hundreds of people can sleep better now.

“That’s 500 to 600 people that don’t have to sweat these two,” Meade said.

He said police are still investigating how all of the personal identity documents were obtained.

Some documents included Social Security numbers, military identification cards, fake tax returns and W-2 forms, fake checks and fake driver licenses and the equipment to make them.

Justus, who authorities suspected was involved in the murder-for-hire plot, was arrested that day for warrants related to drug sales, identity theft and parole violations.

Police recommended that Machlan be charged with an additional 619 felony counts of possessing personal identifying information of another, and Justus faces 609 counts of the same charge.

Meade said the Secret Service has joined the investigation, which might lead to federal charges against Machlan and Justus.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.