Banner Staff Writer
Warrants have been issued for two people wanted in connection with an alleged check cashing scheme.
Cleveland Police detective Matt Jenkins said Eric Bradwell and Christopher Brandon Miller are wanted on charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery over $1,000.
According to Jenkins, a third person, Jack Thoemke, was arrested Sunday and faces the same charges for taking old checks which were supposed to have been destroyed.
Thoemke also had violation of probation and failure to appear warrants, according to an arrest report filed by deputy Daniel Marlow of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.
A local businessman had contracted to clean out a warehouse space and destroy old records and paperwork from a business in Pennsylvania, according to Jenkins’ affidavit.
The business accounts had been closed.
Thoemke met with Bradwell and another person to discuss how to use the checks “to make money,” the affidavit explained.
The alleged fraudulent checks have been passed at a number of Cleveland convenience stores and, according to Jenkins, one store alone cashed checks from different people reportedly involved for over $5,000.
Miller also reportedly used his deceased brother’s identification to cash one of the checks “to avoid detection,” Jenkins said.
Investigation is continuing and other arrests are possible.
Thoemke is incarcerated at the Bradley County Jail.
n Cleveland Police are investigating a possible beating which landed one person in a Chattanooga hospital Monday night.
According to officer Evie West of Cleveland Police Department, Ramsey Harris appeared to be responsive when police arrived at a Chippewah Avenue address Monday evening
Officials responded to a “fight in progress call and found Harris seated in a chair beside the residence,” said a report filed by officer Carlton Walls.
Harris had several cuts on his head and was bleeding. The officer noted Harris could not answer any questions he was asked.
Further investigation revealed a white male, estimated to be 25 to 35 years old, as a possible suspect in the case.
Officials searched through several homes and couldn’t determine where the alleged beating had taken place. Officers did find several pieces of pipe in the area but there were “no signs of them being used.”
Harris was transported to SkyRidge Medical Center for treatment, then transferred to Erlanger Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.
n Tennessee Highway Patrol is stepping up operations for upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations this weekend. The period begins just after midnight Saturday and ends at 11:59 p.m. the same day.
THP reported one traffic fatality in 2011 during the period but the victim was wearing a seat belt and alcohol was not involved, according to their information.
Troopers will be “aggressively enforcing the state’s seat belt and impaired driving laws to protect the public this Cinco de Mayo holiday,” said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.
Sobriety Checkpoints and saturation patrols are scheduled in Bradley County and other areas of Tennessee.
