Can You Believe?!

Can You Believe? !

The house was burglarized sometime in October, 1989. Shortly afterward three of the nine checks that had been stolen and cashed showed up on the fraud officer's desk.

They had been cashed out for the payee, named Johnny Frank Hunter. There were two checks each for $287.00 and one for $89.00 for a total of $663.00.

The checks were not drawn on the institution where they were cashed, but the customer who owned the account had accounts in both institutions and was known to the tellers.

The checks were all payable to Johnny Frank Hunter, and endorsed by him, but the customer's name as maker had been forged.

All of Johnny Frank's information used for identification was recorded on each check-date of birth, license number, Florida I.D., etc.-by each teller.

In January the fraud officer received the checks and the forgery affidavits. The name of Johnny Frank Hunter was known to her, as her institution had arrested him in 1984, for forgery, but had made total recovery.

Through contacts in the police department, she found that Johnny was in jail on drug charges. The police officer went down with the copies of the checks and asked some questions and took some handwriting samples.

As a result of this investigation, charges were filed against Johnny Frank Hunter in February, 1990.

He managed to obtain several continuances from February through September.

He fired the public defender and chose to go to court as "Attorney-for-self." (An old American proverb says "He who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client!")

The trial began on a Tuesday at 9:15 a.m.in front of a jury. There were four counts-three for the checks and one for dealing with stolen property.

By 5:40 p.m. the jury handed down a verdict of guilty on all counts.

On Wednesday the Judge sentenced Mr. Hunter to 17 years in jail-five for each of the three counts and two for the other-to be served consecutively, not concurrently!

Because he is a repeat offender, the earliest possible release is 12 years. And he is still to be sentenced on the drug charge!

The next time you ask yourself if it is worth prosecuting for small amounts, remember Johnny Frank Hunter who got 17 years for $663.00!

Our thanks to Michelle Casale, Security Officer of First National Bank and Trust Company of the Treasure Coast, Stuart, Florida for calling us with this story. And our congratulations to her for a day in court well spent!)

Copyright © 1990 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 1, No. 9, 9/90