Plymouth man arrested for identity deception at Plymouth business

Friday, March 27, 2026 at 12:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

On Thursday, March 25, Plymouth Police Chief John Weir received a call from a male living in Peru, IN, who advised that he had been denied services from State and Federal entities, advising that he is working in Plymouth.

He told the chief that he had never worked in Plymouth. He advised the company that it was supposed to be employing him and asked for an investigation to be done to see if someone there was using his identity.

A city officer went to the business and confirmed the name. Exal Cruz Meda, 54, of Indiana Avenue in Plymouth, had been using the victim's information to work for some time. He was taken into custody and booked into the Marshall County Jail at 4:57 p.m. for identity deception and held on a $1,500 cash bond until 7 p.m., when he was released on bond.

Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is a mere allegation that a crime has been committed and that there is only probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. They are presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and are entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.