They stole checks and had a homeless man cash them. Now they will serve time behind bars. - East Idaho News
Idaho

They stole checks and had a homeless man cash them. Now they will serve time behind bars.

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The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

BOISE — Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced the remaining two defendants in an “operation homeless” bank fraud prosecution, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.

Travis Bolston, 36, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to time served, which amounted to approximately nine months (he was held in custody after his arrest).

Leshelica Reese, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, also was sentenced to time served, but with three additional months of home detention.

On March 12, 2018, their co-defendant, Daronte Jones, 40, of Decator, Georgia, was sentenced to time served, which amounted to approximately seven months (he was held in custody after his arrest).

All defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for participating in an “operation homeless” bank fraud scheme. According to the defendants’ plea agreements, their group stole checks that local businesses had placed in the mail. The defendants then made forged checks drawn on the bank accounts of those local businesses.

Jones and Bolston then went to downtown Boise and persuaded a homeless man to cash the checks for them, initially promising him that he would be given a chance to work to earn money. Jones and Bolston then sent the homeless man into three different bank branches to cash the checks for them while they remained outside in a vehicle in case their fraud was detected. Jones and Bolston received the proceeds and, after leaving the area of the banks, handed them off to Reese.

Fortunately, the banks became suspicious and notified law enforcement. The Boise Police Department caught Bolston, Jones, and Reese with the evidence of their crimes.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Boise Police Department.

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