Detroit Lakes: Lake Park Man Charged in Check Forgery

Becker County (trfnews.i234.me) — A rural Lake Park man faces a felony check forgery charge. Court records describe an altered vendor check.

Cody Joe Johnson, 40, is charged in Becker County District Court. The charge is felony check forgery.

All charges are allegations. Johnson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

What investigators say happened

On July 21, a woman reported that a check had been changed and cashed. She said she saw the issue in her bank account.

She said she wrote the check for a vendor spot at Cormorant Daze. Court records indicate that the payee’s name was altered.

Records say the check was changed to “Cody Johnson” for $350. Records say “Lawn Care” was written in the memo line.

Records say Johnson’s driver’s license number was written on the back. The check was then cashed, according to records.

An event organizer reported to law enforcement that checks had gone missing. The organizer said 10 to 12 vendor checks were stolen.

The organizer said the checks were sitting on a counter. The organizer said Johnson is a relative who visited often.

The organizer told investigators she believed Johnson took the checks. The case file says officers waited for bank records.

Court records say Johnson later called to speak with an investigator. He said he cashed the check, but thought it was valid.

Johnson said a friend wrote him the check for cleanup work. The investigator later spoke with that friend, records say.

Records say the friend claimed Johnson admitted to taking checks from a relative’s home. Records also describe a claim about using brake cleaner.

The friend said Johnson described removing ink and rewriting checks. Court records describe that statement as part of the investigation.

On Dec. 8, records say investigators got video and photos from Bell Bank. The materials relate to a July 14, 2025, incident in Detroit Lakes.

Records say the images show Johnson arriving with two other people. Records say he went inside and handed a check to a teller.

Clay County case filed Oct. 21: felony fleeing in a motor vehicle, according to a complaint.
The complaint alleged speeds up to 110 miles per hour.
Records say a plea petition was filed, with sentencing set for Dec. 31.
Clay County case filed Dec. 8: gross misdemeanor theft over $500, records say.
Records also note a past federal drug conviction.
Records cite an April 10 felony marijuana case in Cass County, North Dakota.

Prosecutors argued Johnson was a flight risk, records say. A Becker County judge issued an arrest warrant on Dec. 11.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.