PIKE CO SO ARREST ON $45,000 IN BAD CHECKS

Pike County Sheriff's Office investigators have made an arrest on a check cashing scheme that victimized a local business. Checks totaling $45,850 were written on fraudulent checks and then deposited into various bank accounts. The money would then be withdrawn before the banks became aware of the checks being counterfeit.

Patrick Smith, 27 years of age, of Atlanta, has been arrested and charged with thirteen counts of identity fraud. He has been set a bond amount of $143,000.

Evidence recovered during Smith’s arrest has lead investigators to contact other businesses and agencies throughout the United States ,in reference to other potential victims of identity fraud. It will take some time for investigators to sift through all of the recovered documents. Numerous checks and debit cards were recovered from Smith at the time of his arrest