OKEECHOBEE — A 22-year-old Okeechobee woman was arrested Monday morning after she allegedly deposited money into a Boynton Beach man’s account with an intent to defraud.
Veronica Nicole Garcia, Northwest 19th Avenue, was arrested June 11 by Deputy Corporal Bryan Lowe on two Okeechobee County felony warrants charging her with 12 counts of cashing or depositing item with intent to defraud, one count of uttering forged instruments and grand theft (more than $300 but less than $5,000). Her bond was set at $70,000.
Veronica Nicole Garcia, 22
According to an arrest report, on Wednesday, April 11, Detective Dale LaFlam met with Seminole Tribe of Florida Police Department Detective Susie Boldin who reported that her criminal investigation began on Nov. 4, 2017, in regards to counterfeit checks being deposited into various accounts at various banks on an account belonging to the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
One counterfeit check was reportedly issued to and deposited in the amount of $300 into a Boynton Beach man’s bank account. Det. Boldin reportedly interviewed the man who reportedly had not given anyone permission to deposit checks into his account and wished to pursue charges.
Seminole Credit & Finance director Robert Maza reportedly identified the check as counterfeit and added that after examination of the signature stated it was a forgery.
Detective Boldin’s follow-up investigation led to the discovery of the checks deposit location being at the automated teller machine (ATM) of SunTrust Bank, located in the 800 block of South Parrott Avenue, in Okeechobee on Nov. 16, 2017. The ATM captured a video of the deposit of what appeared to be a lone white female, similar in appearance to Garcia.
The report stated that Det. Boldin believed the woman from the ATM photo was the same that was put on the OCSO Facebook page.
The Boynton Beach man was unable to identify the woman in a photo from the ATM video and due to the incident occurring outside of Det. Boldin’s jurisdiction, she requested OCSO follow-up on the case.
The report concluded that Det. Boldin provided OCSO with a copy of the initial report completed by Officer Ryan Carr, the forgery affidavit stating the check was counterfeit signed by Authorized Signer for the Seminole Tribe of Florida Peter Hahn, the handwritten sworn statement from the Boynton Beach man, Seminole Police Department supplemental reports, copy of check dated Nov. 2, 2017 and a copy of the image from the ATM at SunTrust Bank in Okeechobee. On Monday, April 16, OCSO was able to make contact with someone who was able to identify the image as that of Garcia. Garcia was arrested, transported and booked into the Okeechobee County Jail on the aforementioned charges.