Cashier alerts police to scheme

She thought the check a man tried to cash looked funny. Police were called, the man was charged.

By Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 14, 2002

TARPON SPRINGS -- A Publix cashier foiled a check cashing scheme Wednesday when she noticed something suspicious about a check that came across her counter.

Police arrested Eugene C. Jackson, 52, of 3102 Lindale Ave., Tampa, after he tried to cash a $425.93 check on the account of Modern Business Associates, a St. Petersburg company. The check was written to Lee Otis Moore, and Jackson provided an ID card in that name.

But cashier Darlene White thought the check did not look like other Modern Business Associates checks she has cashed, and her customer did not look like the picture on the ID card. She consulted another cashier, who called police.

Fifteen counterfeit Modern Day Associates checks had been cashed the day before at area Publixes, the company accountant told police.

"If it wasn't for the cashier this guy would have gotten away with another one," Tarpon Springs Police Sgt. Jeffrey Young said."And who knows how many more."

Police say they found trace amounts of crack cocaine and a pipe in Jackson's pocket. He told police he has cashed 10 to 15 counterfeit checks in the past couple of months to pay bills and support his drug habit, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police charged Jackson with grand theft, uttering a counterfeit check, identify theft, possessing crack cocaine and possessing drug paraphernalia.

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