Vinson, Malone pain local businesses
A Gallup man that was facing nine years in the slammer for larceny and burglary, but was given probation instead, is on the lamb.
According to a recent McKinley County Sheriff’s Office report, and Gallup Police Department arrest warrant, James Vinson didn’t stay out of trouble for long after being released from jail on his own recognizance Feb. 24.
He was placed on probation, but hasn’t checked in with his probation officer, and is considered an absconder.
On April 1, MCSO Deputy Roxanne King was dispatched Advanced Technical Services, 2108 Mountain View, to take a report on a fraud attempt. An ATI official said Vinson, 45, tried to cash a check for $685.78 at T&R with the ATI name printed on it.
According to the report, the manager from T&R called ATI and asked about the check. The manager was told by an ATI representative not to cash the check as he didn’t recognize the check number and Vinson’s name.
During his attempt to cash the check, Vinson became irate and demanded the check back if the store wasn’t going to cash it. So, the T&R clerk made a copy of the check and of Vinson’s ID. As a safety precaution, the clerk at T&R called the pawn location in the mall to warn them that Vinson may try to cash a check. Sure enough he made an attempt, but was refused there as well.
According to an the GPD arrest warrant for Vinson, he made some checks with Southwest Indian Foundation’s name, but placed his name and a false routing and checking account number on the check.
GPD Lt. Rosanne Morrissette has said in the past that Vinson, and like-minded crooks, “wash” the contact information and bank numbers from checks, and put their name on there instead, so the checks look authentic.
Meanwhile, the GPD warrant states that Vinson hit Shush Yaz Trading March 31, cashing a hot check for $516.66. That same day he attempted to cash a check for $553.23 at Ted’s Pawn, but a call to the bank indicated that it was a stolen check, so that plan was thwarted.
Also wanted, as part of the check forgery ring, is Joshua Malone. Malone also has a rap sheet and cashed a check fresh off the press using Central Auto Towing and Salvage’s name.
He cashed the check for $450 at Shush Yaz Trading March 31, the same day as Vinson. A video camera captured the bogus transactions.
More stores have fallen victim to Vinson, but police are still working on compiling arrest warrants for those hot check handoffs.
To date, Vinson faces two counts of forgery and two counts of fraud. Malone, 40, currently faces one count of forgery and one count of fraud.
Police want these two men off the streets. Call Crime Stoppers at (877) 722-6161 if you have any information on their whereabouts. Callers can remain anonymous.
By Babette Herrmann
Sun Editor
