A 24-year-old Frankfort woman is facing multiple felony charges of forgery after she used a stolen checkbook and fake money orders to steal thousands of dollars to buy drugs, a local prosecutor says.
Tobi Riley, of 400 Thistlewood Ave., was indicted Wednesday on six felony counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument after she used a stolen checkbook to cash six checks totaling $1,580, Commonwealth’s Attorney Larry Cleveland said.
Two Lawrenceburg women, 24-year-old Savannah Mathis and 25-year-old Robin Herrell, who assisted Riley, were indicted on the same counts, the indictment says.
The checks were made out to Riley, who cashed them and split the money between her and the two women, Cleveland said. The checks were all forged in April.
The three were caught after the man reported his checkbook stolen and realized money was disappearing from his account.
“We got them all on camera cashing the checks,” Cleveland said. “… And Tobi Riley writes her Social Security number on the back of the checks, in addition to signing them, so it was pretty easy to run her down.”
The three admitted to forging the checks and using the stolen money to buy drugs, Cleveland said.
Riley was also indicted for theft by deception and forgery in the first degree stemming from a second forgery incident in April.
Cleveland said Riley and 32-year-old Stephanie Walters, of Frankfort, used a website to print fake U.S. Postal Service money orders for $925 and $980. They opened accounts at a local bank and deposited the money orders, but were caught after Walters overdrew from her account, Cleveland said.
“Ms. Walters wrote checks totaling $5,236, even though she only deposited $980, so she’s mathematically challenged,” Cleveland said.
It’s unknown what website the women used.
“It’s the damnedest thing I ever saw. Somebody with a computer can steal a lot of money,” Cleveland said.
Also indicted Wednesday by the Franklin County grand jury were:
>Amanda Dyer, 27, of 84 Cedar Crest Drive, for theft by unlawful taking and falsely reporting an incident.
Last week, Dyer, an employee at Sonic, told Frankfort Police that she was robbed at gunpoint at the restaurant, but investigators found she made the story up and stole the money herself, Cleveland said.
Police interviewed other Sonic employees and customers and found “none of them said anything that helped corroborate her story,” according to a press release.
>Ronnie Stevens, 42, of 147 Meredith Ave., for second-degree assault, third-degree terroristic threatening and being a persistent felon. Stevens was arrested last month after he hit his wife with a metal folding chair and broke her jaw, Cleveland said.
>Jeremy Lee, 22, of 8262 Hatton Lane, for third-degree burglary. Lee admitted to breaking into Ruby’s Flowers on Wilkinson Boulevard July 7 and stealing cigarettes, two laptops and cash, Cleveland said.
>Donald Slattery, 60, of 5590 Louisville Road, for driving under the influence, fourth or greater offense, and driving under the influence on a suspended license.
Comments