ST. GEORGE — A local man was arrested Friday as police continued to piece together multiple crimes allegedly committed within a one-week period in January.

Chad Holcomb, 28, of St. George, was arrested and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility, where he faces multiple felony counts of forgery and other charges relating to a string of incidents reported since Jan. 9.

The most recent incident was reported just after 8 a.m. Friday morning when officers responded to an apartment on River Road on a trespassing call. According to the probable cause statements submitted to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review. an individual told officers that a suspect, identified as Holcomb, entered the property after he was banned from the complex by the apartment manager.

Police were also told that Holcomb allegedly gave two payroll checks to the individual to cash for him, which they did, after which the suspect stole their vehicle.

The reporting party was later notified by the bank that both checks were returned unpaid. The report also states that police were provided a copy of the checks that were “identical in every respect including the amounts and check numbers.”

Officers called the company listed on the payroll check and confirmed that Holcomb was not employed by the company, nor did the business recognize the name used as the authorized signer of the check.

Initially, Holcomb told police he was given the two checks by an employee of the company but could only provide the man’s first name, at which point he was placed under arrest by police.

After arriving at the jail, Holcomb admitted to being in the apartment after he was given permission to be on the premises, even though there was a trespassing order filed against him, and he said he took the vehicle in question with the owner’s permission. Later, he began changing his story, telling officers he obtained the payroll checks but continued to deny any knowledge the drafts were fake.

The suspect’s changing statements, coupled with the checks being identical, made the suspect’s denials of having any knowledge that the checks were fake “unreasonable,” the officer noted in the report.

Holcomb was booked into jail facing three third-degree felony charges, including unauthorized control of a motor vehicle and two counts of possession of forged document.

During the course of the investigation, officers connected Holcomb to a report involving counterfeit bills that were passed at a convenience store on East Brigham Road earlier that same day.

According to the report, the suspect, identified as Holcomb, attempted to purchase items using a $100 bill, which turned out to be fake, and when the employee told Holcomb the bill could not be accepted, Holcomb said the bill was not his and left the store.

That same employee also told officers the suspect passed a counterfeit $20 bill the week before, but police have yet to find any evidence to support the allegation.

During an interview at the jail, Holcomb admitted to possessing the $100 and the $20 but claimed he was unaware the $100 bill was fake until he attempted to use it for purchases. He denied any knowledge that the $20 bill was counterfeit.

He also told officers he received the $100 bill from another individual that “he knew was in possession of fake bills” and said he took the $100 bill with him after the store refused to accept it. Police found the suspect’s statements to be “not entirely truthful,” since police had already determined that the bill was confiscated by the store prior to the suspect’s exit.

Holcomb was then charged with third-degree felony forgery.

Additional charges were added from an earlier investigation that took place Jan. 9, when officers were dispatched to a fast food restaurant on 1000 East to investigate a report of counterfeit bills allegedly being passed at the business.

The manager told police that a male, identified as Holcomb, ordered two meals that totaled $27 and paid for the food with three $10 bills. Then he requested to exchange two additional $10 bills for a $20 bill.

The employee taking the order became suspicious the bills were counterfeit and went to advise the manager; however, by the time the manager reached the front of the restaurant the suspect was gone.

While viewing the restaurant’s surveillance footage, officers were able to confirm that the suspect shown on the footage matched a photo of Holcomb obtained through a record’s check.

During an inspection of the currency, it was determined they were counterfeit.

When Holcomb was later questioned by police, he allegedly admitted to being at the Wendy’s where he presented the $10 bills, but he told the officers that he only realized the bills were counterfeit when he saw the manager approaching the counter to inspect them.

The suspect said he “panicked” and left the scene, according to police.

Holcomb was subsequently charged with third-degree felony forgery and misdemeanor count of theft by deception.

Holcomb remains in jail on $21,360 bail.

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