2 men wanted for trying to use fake check to buy $30,000 worth of gas

Lake County Sheriff’s officials are searching for two Wisconsin men accused of using a fraudulent cashier’s check to try to buy $30,000 worth of gas, authorities said Tuesday.

Sgt. Sara Balmes said forgery arrest warrants were issued Dec. 4 for Laurence Esser, 55, of the 4300 Block of Conifer Court in Union Grove, Wis., and Maximo Rodriguez, 57, of the 2400 Block of 65th Drive in Franksville, Wis., after they tried to buy gas from State Oil Company near Grayslake.

Balmes said Esser and Rodriguez met with company representatives and asked them to supply gasoline to their Wisconsin gas station, Balmes said.

However, Esser and Rodriguez were reluctant to sign any purchase orders or contracts for the fuel, Balmes said. The men provided a cashier’s check for $30,000 to the company, but the check was discovered to be fraudulent before any gasoline was sold, Balmes said.

Should the men be arrested, authorities have issued a bond amount of $50,000 for Esser and $25,000 for Rodriguez.

Anyone with information should contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Division at (847) 377-4300.