ST. GEORGE — A Nevada man was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for passing more than $3,700 in forged checks that were drawn on an out-of-state account and then cashed in St. George in July of last year.
Brandon Lindsey, 24, of Henderson, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on an outstanding warrant that was issued in connection with an investigation that was initiated in July 2019 after a local credit union branch contacted police to report three checks that were cashed by the bank that turned out to be fraudulent, according to charging documents filed with the court.
The bank’s fraud investigator told police that the man, identified by his Nevada state-issued identification card as Brandon Lindsey, opened two accounts on July 11: a checking account in which he deposited $5 and a savings account that was opened with a $15 deposit.
The man presented his state-issued identification card and social security number at the time the accounts were opened.
At 12:09 the following day, police said Lindsey entered a Santa Clara branch where he deposited a check in the amount of $1,291 issued by Bank of Nevada in the suspect’s name that was drawn on a hotel and casino’s business account. At the same time, he made a withdrawal of $1,116, leaving $175 in the account.
Less than 15 minutes later, the same suspect allegedly deposited another check for the same amount into the credit union branch in St. George, where he withdrew $1,040 of the funds before leaving.
Shortly thereafter, authorities said Lindsey entered a second St. George branch where he deposited another check for the same amount into the account and left the bank with $1,100. All transactions were completed in less than an hour.
The suspect then went to an ATM on Telegraph Street where he withdrew $500, the balance left in the account from the three deposits.
Five days later, bank employees were informed that the checks were altered and/or fictitious. After the suspect failed to respond to a request to bring the account current, police were contacted.
Detectives found that all three checks listed the same account information and were drawn for the same amount, with check numbers that were in sequence. They also ran a series of checks that returned with information showing a Nevada address in Henderson.
The total loss to the credit union is in excess of $3,700.
Four third-degree felony charges, including three counts of possession of a forgery device and one count of theft, were filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office in February, and a warrant was issued for Lindsey’s arrest Feb. 25.
The suspect remains in custody on $25,250 bail.
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