Pelican Rapids (trfnews.i234.me) — A St. Cloud man is facing a felony charge in Otter Tail County after police say he attempted to cash a forged check worth more than $3,200 at a Pelican Rapids bank.
According to a newly filed criminal complaint, dispatch notified police on November 18 about a man who was reportedly trying to cash a fraudulent check. When officers arrived, they obtained a description of the suspect and located him nearby.
The man was identified as Keith Allen King, 62, of St. Cloud. King confirmed his identity when approached. Police explained the complaint, and King denied knowing the check was fraudulent. He told officers that an employer gave him the check for carpentry work. King provided only a first name for this employer and could not give any additional details.
King said he believed he was owed $300 for labor. However, he admitted he did not look at the check before endorsing it. When he endorsed it inside the bank, he said he realized the check was written for more than $3,100. King told officers he had vision issues and could not read the signature or the printed information.
Police say the check was written to “Keith A King” for $3,245.20. King’s name and address were typed on the front. The account owner was contacted and denied writing any check to King. A bank employee also told police that the signature looked photocopied and the writing appeared altered. Because of this, the bank refused to cash the check.
During the interview, King said he had arrived in the area with two other men from St. Cloud. He also said one of the men was dropped off at a Fergus Falls bank to cash another check. Police believe that the man was Daryl Kim Jungroth, who was also arrested for attempting to cash a forged check on the same day.
King continued to deny knowing the check was fake. He also could not explain why the amount did not match the money he claimed he was owed.
Prosecutors have charged King with felony offering a forged check. Under Minnesota law, the crime carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. More information on Minnesota forgery laws is available at revisor.mn.gov.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
