GENESEO — A check cashing con artist from Illinois was apprehended at the Geneseo Sears store after he attempted to cash a fraudulent check.
According to a press release from Sheriff Thomas Dougherty, Ivan Walton Jr., 21, from Sauk Village, Illinois was charged with felony Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and the misdemeanor charge of Criminal Impersonation for attempting to use another’s identity. The arrest was the result of a 911 call from the store manager to report the man allegedly attempting to use a fraudulent check.
Sheriffs investigated, according to the release, and it was discovered that Walton had been attempting to cash a fraudulent check by the name of Anthony Smith and Smith Exterior Company. Walton was also discovered to be in possession of a fraudulent Indiana Drivers License matching the name of Anthony Smith.
Walton was arraigned in the Town of Geneseo before Justice Houston and remanded to the custody of the Sheriff. He is currently being held in the Livingston County Jail on $3,000 cash bail.
After digging deeper, Sheriff’s Investigators discovered that Walton was arrested last October in the state of Michigan for hitting another Sears with the same scam, and was being sought for passing fraudulent checks in Batavia and Fredonia as well, also at Sears stores.
If you have any information regarding Walton or have been the victim of fraud by Walton’s actions, please call Investigator Joshua Monster at 585.243.7100.
Sergeant Matthew Orman, Deputy Paul Ricotta, Deputy Michael Williams and Investigator Joshua Monster handled the investigation.