Man receives prison term for check-cashing scheme
A Lake Lynn man convicted last week of falsifying checks he cashed at three area banks was sentenced to 3.5 to 10.5 years in prison. Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner Jr. told Chad Dickson that he sentenced him to such a long prison term largely because of his extensive prior record. In the sentencing order, Wagner cites several Greene County convictions, including four for bad checks, and three additional bad check convictions in Fayette.
Dickson was convicted of three counts of forgery and related charges for cashing $36,251.61 in fake checks at Promistar Bank branches in North Union Township, Markleysburg and Waynesburg, Greene County.
State police alleged he cashed employment checks that had been reproduced and also cashed other checks from the state treasurer’s office between Oct. 5, 2001 and Nov. 21, 2001.
In sentencing Dickson, Wagner noted that he started his latest check-cashing scheme about seven months after he had been released from prison on other charges.
“This demonstrates to the court a consistent pattern of committing offenses and indicates to us that you are in need of long-term supervision,” said Wagner.
The jurist also noted that Dickson will be extradited to both Maryland and West Virginia, where he is also wanted on bad check charges.
In addition to jail time, Wagner also ordered Dickson to pay back the money he was convicted of swindling from the bank.