| July 23,
2004 |
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| Check
Scam Ring Broken, Fourteen Arrests So Far |
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| A multi-jurisdictional team of investigators
including Burke County detectives have broken a large fraudulent check ring in
the area, according to a Hickory Police Department news release. |
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| According to the release, investigators from
several police and sheriff's agencies in the area began receiving cases in
January, 2003 which involved the passing of fraudulent checks by a group of
individuals. |
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| Most of the checks were being written on
personal accounts that had been established at numerous banks throughout the
area, although one account had been established in Tennessee, the release
said. |
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| Authorities said the checks were being passed to
obtain anything from household appliances to an automobile. Many of the checks
reportedly were passed to obtain expensive riding lawn tractors and utility
trailers. |
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| Investigators said that because the criminal
activity was so well organized and widespread, a task force was formed between
police and sheriff's investigators in seven counties, along with the SBI, FBI,
and District Attorney's Office from the 25th Judicial District. |
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| The investigation reportedly came to a head on
July 21st, when the task force followed suspect members of the group as they
passed fraudulent checks in Caldwell and Wilkes County. One member of the group
reportedly was arrested in Caldwell County after delivering a utility trailer
and two riding mowers to an individual in the Dudley Shoals area. |
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| Other members of the ring were later arrested
and authorities recovered approximately $35,000 worth of property, the release
stated. |
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Arrested and charged with obtaining property by
false pretenses, and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses were:
- Norman Wesley Ward, age 24
- Eric Scott Hefner, age 28
- Mark Edmund Tesiero, age 44
- Johnny Hobbs
- Billy Lynn Daugherty, age 26
- Bobby Keith Hefner, age 24
- Darrell Ricardo Lewis, age 37
- Amanda Minton, age 23
- Amy Minton
- Danny Minton
- Matthew Minton, age 21
- Roger Sparks, age 19
- Sheila Hampton, age 29
- Mark Elliott Cline, age 24
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| More arrests are expected and authorities
anticipate recovering additional property. Additional charges are pending
against these individuals, investigators said. |
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