DUBOIS – A DuBois woman has been accused of tampering with a check from the Clearfield County Jail.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed with District Judge Patrick Ford’s office April 8, Tina Lee McCartney, 47, 313 S. Brady St., DuBois, has been charged by the Sandy Township police with forgery and theft by deception.
According to the affidavit, police received a referral from the DuBois City and Lawrence Township police to investigate a report of forgery involving a check, which had been issued to a former inmate by the jail.
With the assistance of the Lawrence Township police, officers determined on June 9, the jail issued a check to McCartney in the amount of $7.52 as payment for reimbursement of the remaining balance in McCartney’s commissary account. The check was sent through to the mail to McCartney’s house.
However, according to the affidavit, McCartney allegedly cashed the check Dec. 26 at a bank in Sandy Township.
On Jan. 7, staff at the bank discovered the check, originally issued for $7.52, had been altered to read $70.52. Because of the alteration, McCartney allegedly received $63 in unauthorized funds.
Police were able to obtain copies of the cancelled check from the bank and security video, which allegedly shows a woman, identified as McCartney, cashing the check. McCartney’s driver’s license number had been written on the back of the check under her signature.
