Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Cashing of 'bad' check leads to criminal charge

A Gurdon man is facing felony charges after allegedly cashing a payroll check he was suppose to return.

According to records in the Clark County Circuit Clerks office, Raymond Green Jr., no age available, of 309 E. Miller St., has been charged with theft of property between $500 and $2,500. The charges were filed after Green, who was employed by International Paper Co., allegedly had his brother cash a payroll check that came back "bad" at a local store.

An affidavit prepared by Clark County Sheriffs Office investigators indicates that several employees at International Papers Gurdon Wood Products plant did not receive their payroll checks in March. Green was one of these employees, the affidavit states.

The company issued replacement checks to the employees and told them to return the first check to the IP office to be destroyed if it ever showed up in the mail. The first round of checks had already been canceled through the bank.

The affidavit states that it was not unusual for Greens brother to cash Greens payroll check at the local store. There was no way for the store owner to know that payment for the $669.41 check had been stopped.

After being notified that the check was not valid, the affidavit states that the business owner contacted Green who said "he would take care of it."

The store owner turned the matter over to police after Green reportedly made no attempt to resolve the issue. Police were able to check the endorsement on the back of the check with the signature on Greens drivers license to confirm that he had signed it to be cashed, the affidavit states.