Five face forgery charges

Published 12:47 am Saturday, August 23, 2014

Five Selma residents have been arrested after the local Walmart Supercenter reported receiving multiple forged checks.

Walmart Loss Prevention told Selma Police investigators the checks were cashed Thursday between 6:50 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. last Friday at its Selma store. The suspects created checks similar to those of Advance America Cash Advance Centers and cashed them in amounts from $940 to $1,300, according to Lt. Curtis Muhannad, with Selma Police.

Muhannad said the investigation led police to believe Cassandra Jones, 35, 1220 Primrose Terrance, and her sister Pamela Jones, 31, 210 Minter Ave., would identify people to cash the checks based on other deceptive practices and transport the those individuals to Walmart to cash the checks.

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Once the checks were cashed, Cassandra and Pamela told the recruits they could have $250, and Cassandra and Pamela would immediately take the remaining amount in the shopping center’s parking lot.

“They targeted people that they feel are in need,” Muhannad said. “They wanted to get something from nothing, and they find themselves looking at criminal charges because of it.”

Muhannad said a combination of video surveillances, copies of driver licenses, and other evidence, helped Selma Police determine the suspects.

Tuesday, police arrested Cassandra Jones and Codey Parnell, 32, 605 Lawrence St. for an alleged connection to the crime.

Two other suspects, Derron Pratt, 21, 1614 Philpot Ave, and Quintin Harrison, 19, 1218 Primrose Terrance, turned themselves in after receiving calls alerting them that they were wanted in the case.

After the Tuesday arrest, Selma Police were told Pamela Jones was attempting to flee the country.

Police then learned Pamela’s last known address and vehicle. Wednesday, detectives searched the 200 block of Minter Ave., where they located the suspect driving a silver Chevy Tahoe, performed a traffic stop and detained the suspect.

Cassandra was charged with three counts of second-degree forgery and issued three bonds totaling $45,000.

Parnell was charged with one count of second-degree theft of property by deception, one count of second degree criminal possession of forged instrument and issued two bonds totaling $30,000.

Pratt was charged with one count of second-degree theft by deception, unlawful possession of foreign instrument and issued two bonds totaling $5,000.

Harrison was Wednesday with unlawful possession of foreign instrument, second-degree theft by deception and issued two bonds totaling $30,000.

Pamela was charged Wednesday with three counts of second-degree forgery and issued a bond totaling $45,000.

Aside from Pamela, who made bond, all the suspects are currently in Dallas County Jail.