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Six charged in forgery ring
Published Friday, October 3, 2008
NATCHEZ — Forged check complaints that Natchez police began receiving in July have expanded half a dozen arrest, with many more expected.
While six arrests have already been made, police are expecting dozens more.
“Once the smoke clears on this, it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s 30 or 40 people involved,” Natchez Police Investigator Gary Nations said.
The first arrest in the case opened the door to all the others, thanks to the cooperation of the suspect, Nations said.
The suspects cooperation gave police insight into the inner workings of the operation and its magnitude.
The checks, which are usually payroll checks but are sometime personal checks, have legitimate routing and bank account numbers and are printed on actual check stock. Police suspect the checks are being cashed at Wal-Marts and casinos within a 100-mile radius of Natchez.
However, the case extends far beyond the borders of Mississippi and Louisiana.
The checks originate in Atlanta and are mailed to post offices stretching from eastern Texas to Virginia, Nations said.
One package was intercepted by local and federal authorities and contained 60 checks, ranging from $500 to $1,400. These packages had been coming in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“If they were doing that level of criminal activity for a year it would be in the neighborhood of $1,000,000,” Nations said. “This is the biggest forgery case I’ve seen in 19 years. The person printing these checks is a professional.”
The suspects are being charged with conspiracy because their names were already on the checks, meaning they had a plan to cash them, and a connection with the operation, Nations said.
The checks are being sent to local distributors, who give them out to those who cashchecks. While the checks do have the name of the person cashing them, they have other addresses and they use various IDs to cash them, Nations said.
As the case pans out, Nations said various local, state and federal authorities will want the suspects.
The six suspects arrested Thursday are Salise N. Calcate, 26, 601 Old Washington Road, on charges of conspiracy to possess forged instruments with intent to utter.
Cornelius C. Arbuthnot, 21, 576 Lower Woodville Road, on charges of conspiracy to commit a forgery with intent and burglary.
Eddie L. Long, 25, 14 Vaughn Drive, on charges of conspiracy to commit a forgery.
James E. Banks, 18, 33 N. Commerce St. on charges of conspiracy to utter a forgery.
Cynthia B. Graves, 43, 220 Oakland Drive, on charges of conspiracy to utter a forgery.
India Nelson, 22, 9B Lincoln St., on charges of conspiracy to commit a forgery.
Comments
Posted by Omega (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 12:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
GREAT Job NPD! Great Job G.Nations.Thugs like these hurt business and the loss is passed on to paying customers. Too bad that it won't be long before many of them will be out working on their next scam. If the court does not SLAM these folks, with the amount of money they were getting, it sends a strong message that crime does pay. How sad the courts are not going to do much more than slap their hands and tell them not to do that again. If nothing else these players need HEAVY fines to get some of the STOLEN money back. If you check I believe you will see almost no one gets serious jail time on these paper crimes. Some of these large groups are doing serious damage. They are causing more loss that several business or home burglaries combined.
Posted by thetinman (Keith Reynolds) on October 3, 2008 at 6:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hmmm, sad, so many of these people are so young!!!!
Posted by Shorts (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Omega, I will have to disagree with you. Being that the checks were passed over state lines (among other things), it directly involves interstate commerce, giving the Feds authority to act as well. And the Feds do not take lightly to these matters. I would be willing to bet that this type of crime, along with the amount of money involved will result in some stiff penalties.
Posted by Omega (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 7:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shorts, it will only happen if the feds do it. It seems our local judges won't.
Posted by 2008 (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 9:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Are these local Natchez citizens commiting these crimes or are they out of towners, say New Orleans. Just a thought, since so many people on these blogs blame New Orleans thugs for the increased crime here in Natchez. Just wondering if these are home grown thugs!
Posted by ingodwetrust (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is so very sad that young or older people have to stoop to this level for money.
Yes our economy is horrible at best and it's only going to get worse with time..in my opinion.
Job's will be harder to find and all Crime will increase across the nation.
Im not trying to bring anyone down, but this is fact's that we
all need to get and be prepared for.
The rich are getting richer..and there is no more Middle Class and the poor are left behind, God Help Us All!
All of this about Wall St. Bail-Out Battle and the amount of money involved is astronomical!
Not to mention this War our Country is in and the cost of that alone has put our economy in a fast downward spiral.
My wish is for the war to End ASAP and get all of our young men and wemon HOME! This is a War that should have Never happened and it's all because of Oil and Political Position's!
I wish the USA would not Try and Rule the World, and let Other Countries Step Up for a change, but I doubt very seriously that any other Country Even Care's who has Nuclear weapon's or not.
Our Country Can't Afford to be The ONLY WATCH-DOG ANY MORE!
We need to Take Care Of OUR OWN PEOPLE FIRST, CHARITY BEGING'S AT HOME!
We have way to many People right here In the U.S. that have to Choose between Paying a Bill or Medication they need...and to be able to Feed thier own Family!
I just Pray that who ever get's elected as President will MAKE SOME BIG CHANGE'S AND FAST!
It makes me SICK to hear Over & Over all of the raises that Our Elected Senator's, and Everyone Else Keep giving THIER OWNSELF!, WHEN IT SHOULD BE IN OUR POCKET'S FOR A CHANGE!!, THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED IT, SEEM TO NEVER GET IT!
That is why Crime is only going to get Worse!
Not to mention all of the Huge Companie's across America that are laying People OFF BY THE THOUSAND'S, How are they Supposed to FEED and keep a ROOF over THIER FAMILIE'S HEAD!?
I can't Imagine how All of the Famlie's who LOST THIER HOME'S that they have had for Generation's, and GOT KICKED-OUT ON THE STREET, by our NO GOOD GOVERNMENT and thier STUPID LAW'S!
America Is FED-UP and GOD only Know's How all of these People are going to be able to LIVE!
I'll NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW OUR ELECTED OFFICAL'S CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT, KNOWING THAT THEY UP-ROOTED A ENTIRE FAMILY AND NOW THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO CALL HOME AND NO HOPE OF A FUTURE!, AND THIS IS AMERICA!??
THE BIBLE SAY'S....IF MAN WILL HUMBLE THIER SELF AND PRAY TOGETHER, I WILL COME AND HEAL THIER LAND!
ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY TO GOD FOR THING'S TO CHANGE!
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND PLEASE BRING OUR TROOP'S HOME SAFE AND SOON!
Posted by whatever (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hmmm passing judgement, are we? I happen to know one of the people that was arrested, and I can vouch for SURE WITHOUT ANY DOUBTS that this person is innocent. Get off your high horse, and stop judging the situation before you know the whole truth. All you all do know for certain is what the newspaper decides to print, and that is it.
Think before you speak, and PLEASE!! Step away from the computer.....
Posted by dragonflyday (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
whatever, i agree with you about the newspaper decides to print what ever they want. i just wish that maybe one day,nd will see how they can hurt people by not telling the truth when it needs to be told. this does make me mad,because not only are they not printing the truth, nd can't seem to get both sides of the story.i don't see why they can't.now if they would have asked my family when my brother got killed,it would have read different in the newspaper and people would have known the truth are atleast some of the truth. this is what happens when it's a lil newspaper stand like nd.
Posted by onethatknows (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
whatever, the police are not out to railroad anyone. If you have some information please go see them. By the way I understand they have all confessed. Whatever.......
Posted by jack (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well get ready sheriff brown to order your tent if all these get arrested
good job npd
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If ANYONE is privy to ANY information regarding anyone arrested, that proves the accused is innocent it is your duty to go to the authorities with proof and maybe evidence of this. Posting they are innocent on a web-site to mere posters isn't sufficient. I don't think anyone wants to see anyone innocent locked up, not even for a second. The posts here are regarding the article, not regarding FACTUALLY who is innocent or guilty.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Excellent post teach..
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks fire, how are you today?
Posted by whatever (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
onethatknows....
No, they have not all confessed. That is what the paper implies. So "whatever" right back at you......
Teach4Peace....
The comments posted previously have not only tried, but condemned people that THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW. All I said was that I know one of these people is completely innocent. However, this community as a whole seems to find sadistic pleasure in tearing others (that they don't know, might I remind you!) down. The truth will come out, because this person has already given any and all evidence that they might have, and are cooperating with the authorities to the fullest extent.
Posted by onethatknows (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
whatever, look at my user name. Let me help you out here.
onethatknows = one that knows. They have all confessed.
Posted by whatever (anonymous) on October 3, 2008 at 11:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah LMAO whatever
Posted by StuWhoMoved (anonymous) on October 4, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job Gary! To bad the only way you will even get a pat on the back is to get one on here! Hurry up and put your time in and get as far away from that pd like i did!
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on October 5, 2008 at 12:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Support your NPD, the ACSO, and the MHP! Support these public servants who are on the front lines seven days a week, 24 hrs. a day fighting the criminals, who are actually terrorists in one sense of the word!
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