Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) — A Thief River Falls man is facing three felony charges in Pennington County District Court. Authorities say he took steps to cash a court check that was not written to him.
Shawn Dale Armstrong, 56, has been charged with felony check forgery. He also faces felony aiding and abetting the offering of a forged check. He is also charged with felony mail theft. A gross misdemeanor count alleges possession or sale of a stolen check.
Court records say Armstrong has been summoned to appear in court. The complaint was filed on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
How the check surfaced
According to the complaint, the Pennington County Court Administrator’s Office issued a $450 check to a woman. The check was mailed to a former address where she no longer lived.
An investigator later learned the woman contacted court administration on Nov. 18. She said the check went to an old address. She asked for a replacement check. Court staff voided the original check, records say.
Bank deposit and cash withdrawal
Authorities say the original check was still deposited at a bank in Warren. The complaint says a man living at the same home deposited the check.
Records say the man withdrew cash soon after the deposit. Investigators later reviewed bank video from Nov. 26. The footage allegedly shows the man presenting a check and signing it at the counter.
Court records say investigators also reviewed video from a local business in Warren. The complaint describes the man driving there with a passenger. The passenger was holding a wall calendar, records say.
Propane purchase tied to the cash
Investigators later checked a Cenex location, records say. An employee found a receipt showing a $440 cash payment for propane on Nov. 26. The complaint says Armstrong made that purchase.
The same employee noted Armstrong had previously used fuel assistance. The employee said the cash payment seemed unusual.
Messages and phone calls
The complaint says Armstrong sent a message about a $450 check arriving in the mail. Records also describe a message from another woman. She warned the check recipient that Armstrong was trying to cash the check.
Investigators also spoke with the check recipient’s mother, who lives out of state. The complaint says Armstrong called her after the recipient blocked him. Records say he claimed the check was “his money.”
What Armstrong allegedly told investigators
Armstrong first denied cashing the check, records say. He also claimed he threw the check away. Later, the complaint says he gave a different account.
According to court records, Armstrong said the woman owed him money. He claimed a roommate offered to cash the check. He later admitted he spent the money, investigators allege.
The complaint states Armstrong eventually admitted he forged the woman’s name on the check. He also admitted opening mail from court administration, records say.
Case resources
You can search public case records using Minnesota Court Records Online:
MN Court Records Online (MCRO) | Minnesota Judicial Branch | Pennington County
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.