Las Cruces, N.M. — Las Cruces Police have arrested a former caregiver suspected of falsifying checks belonging to a man he cared for, who died in 2008.

Forty-two-year-old Michael Gay, who lives just north of Las Cruces, is charged with 16 counts of forgery less than $2,500. Gay was arrested Friday on a warrant and is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.

Detectives began investigating Gay in December 2011 when his current employer, the South Central Solid Waste Authority, reported a burglary that appeared to be an inside job. Detectives soon learned that in December 2010, Gay’s ex-wife cashed eight checks from the bank account of Frank Martyn, a man who died in 2008. Gay’s ex-wife told investigators that Gay asked her to cash the checks because he did not have a checking account. The checks drawn on Frank Martyn’s bank account totaled $10,900 but were all returned due to the absence of funds.

Detectives are continuing their investigation and additional charges against Gay are possible.