On October 10th, 2023, a Chambbley police officer responded to a call about a fraudulent check that one man had given another to cash in Chambbley, Georgia. All right. So, on Wednesday night, we were just like right by the You said Wednesday night. Wednesday night. So, he said, "Can you do me a favor?" I Well, depends on what the favor is in truck. That's the reality of mine, man. I don't have a way to cash my check. I need it for my family so I can pay for [ __ ] for my kids and my wife. All right, whatever. What time was it? I got screenshots going to say around between 10:00 and 11. Actually 10 around actually around 10 9:30 10 because I remember telling them around 10:23 if I'm not back in 30 minutes then it's not happening today. So he then I exchanged phone numbers with him. So I said, "Bro, I'm not going to steal your money." Cuz I'd already put the check in my account, showed the screenshot of what day it'll be deposited on, which was Friday in the morning. I'm like, "Here, bro. There's my phone number. I text you." He's like, "My girl has the phone at home." Gets home, calls me on that number, calls me the next day. He was like, uh, you know, before we left, he was like, you're not going to, uh, I'm not going to call you on Friday. You're going to be like, it's wrong phone number, so we're stole the phone, right? Like, no, bro. Like, it's not my money. I'm going to give you your money. Like, all right, bro. I'll pay you for cashing the check. I was like, all right. How much is the check for? $666. Wednesday 10:20 p.m. 666 right there tells you when it's going to happen. I waited till Friday for it to clear. I went to the bank, took the money, I met him back over here and gave him his money. He then gives me this and asked me to cash this one on Saturday. I didn't even cash it. I said, "Sure, bro." I told him, "My bank's not working right now." Cuz it really was working. I couldn't log in at Saturday. You couldn't log in at all. What time was it Saturday? I got you. What time was it Saturday? When when you met with uh Oh, no. I met up on Sunday. So, the wrong day. Sunday around 3:00 p.m. Where? Right on the side. Right. Not in front of QT. No, not in front of QT. Right on the sidewalk. You know where those condos are right there? Right there. Okay. Gave me this and was like, "Bro," I said, "I won't be able to do nothing till Tuesday cuz the bank's closed." What time is that Sunday? Around 3:00 p.m. Okay. So, I won't be able to do anything till Tuesday. The bank's closed. I called the bank yesterday. They told me I had to go to the specialist department for they didn't tell me just a specialist department. Call today. They're like, "Oh, well, it's got to go to senior analyst." I talked to senior analyst. He's like, "Well, what happened?" Like, "Well, I don't know what's going on." And he asked me, "Did I file police report by the end of the conversation?" I'm like, "No, you're just telling me what's going on. Why would I have filed a police report? I didn't know what was going on." So, he's like, "Well, I tell you what, you're supposed to meet the guy today, right?" I said, "Yeah, but I'm not going to now. Hell no. You've already told me he's [ __ ] scammed." And what day is this when all this is going on? Uh, the conversation I'm telling you right now is today. I just found out today. Okay. The bank has been closed. So, I'm just now finding out that it was a bad check today. Okay. Then I called this company to check for this check cuz I said, "What's the chances that you're you're not going to do the same thing twice?" First they told me, "Oh no, it's not been cashed. It's clear." Called me back, hung up the phone, but I called him right back. And then I just got off the phone with you. I did some more digging. This check's already been cashed on April the 4th, 2023. I said, "All right, thank you. I wasn't going to cash it anyway. I just needed to know what to tell y'all." Now, the husband of the actual lady, I guess, from this company is calling saying, "It's just a guy trying to get money. Call the police cuz he already cashed this check." Okay. So, who is that made out to? This one's made out to Violet Payment Services. I never tried to cash it. Was the last one made out to the same thing? No, it was I'd have to ask the bank. It's made out to a personal person. I'd have to ask the bank because I didn't screenshot it when I the damn picture. So, why did you accept this check? Why' I hold it? Why'd you accept it? Uh, because I didn't know what was going on yet. So, once I found out what's going on with this today, so I got the check yesterday Sunday and then yesterday was Monday. I called the bank. Nobody could tell me nothing. So, I said, "Well, I don't know what's going on yet still." Cuz what they're telling me is So, when you got that check, you couldn't deposit that? I couldn't even log into my bank. I still can't. So, no. don't know him from a can of paint. I'm just a good person, man. I've been in a bad position before. I've had to ask people to cash checks for me before. Done it for people. So, I understand what it's like. And of course, he was Hispanic. I'm like, "Well, dude, I don't know what your situation is." So, when he asked you to cash a check, what did he say exactly? He said, "Man, can you do me a favor?" I'm sorry. I can't hear my radio. I said, "It depends on what your favor is. Like, I got a check. I need to cash it. Uh, I'm waiting to go home, but I need to do this so I can pay my bills for my family. Type [ __ ] Okay. I was like, "Okay, bro. I'll see if I can do it. If it won't let me, then it won't let me. If it does, then it does." Exactly. I phrase my response. Okay. That's the type of person I am. If God let it happen, bro, then it mean it was supposed to happen. He said he he needs you to cash his check for him. He needs to feed his family. Yes. Got his bills to pay. And he's like, "You have any cash right now?" like like bro, you have all my cash on my check. Like, well, I don't have it cuz as you can see at the time, my bank account was at 55. Okay. Okay. Let me ask you this. Of course, I'm expecting if it's something wrong, it won't clear. I've tried to cash my own check before on accident and it didn't clear because it said you already cashed it. I didn't know I grabbed the wrong check. That's what the box. Is there a box on the back of that check? Yeah, but I think however he did it the first time, he had to do another No, I was talking about you. You said you did it by accident. There's a box on the check. Once you do a digital deposit, you check the box as a reminder. It's kind of like a bookmark. Look for this box. No, I didn't know that. Okay. Where is it supposed to be at? Well, it depends on the check cuz I don't know. Check. Right here. Right here. Right here. Right here. Nope. Thanks for the information. I had no idea. I know a lot about bacon, but I didn't know that. Wow. That's something I didn't know or toss a check for the other or not toss them but just hold them which is usually what I do. I I mean I keep checks for my own personal record. That's what I had it for. So when I grabbed the wrong check that day I was like, "Oh [ __ ] my bad. Looks like I'm still screwed." Wrong check. But it was my check. Did that happen to that same bank account? Uh long time ago. Yeah. That's why I said I figured they would catch it. I This is the only bank I've had for like seven, eight years, man. N to them. It's probably going to start looking like fraud once you build up. But when I did once I did it. No, I never had it. It never went through. I didn't It was my own check personally. It never instantly like when I I get it's just suspicious activity. But they already acknowledged you don't have any bad history with us. Okay. They screwed me over. All right. So, what do you what do you want to be done? Well, I definitely told me I need to file police report. Hell yeah. Okay. You better be glad that I'm a new person cuz I just have you come up here for a whole another reason. But instead, I really catch I can say it myself and he has the audacity to harass me for the the actual money. Like that's what really gets my nerves the most. He actually calls like he's doing the right thing. So, I didn't think nothing about it. I'm just like most of the time if I took that big of a risk to let somebody do that, I'll be calling your ass too. Hey, bro. Making sure you're not going to take my money. All I can do is hope and pray at this point. I'mma call you. All right. So, you met him Wednesday, 10 4th, asked if you could cash his check for him to help feed his kids. And whatever other excuses he gave, you obliged. accepted a check at that point. He gave you his phone number to call him right when the check when the check clears and to make sure that I wasn't going to steal his money. Of course. Um, who contacted who made who initially made contact the second time? Alex. Alex. So, he called you. What day was that? Just to see if I was going to answer the phone basically. What' he say? How did the conversation happen? Um, hey bro, it's me Alice from last night. Here, bro. I was like, yeah, doesn't clear till tomorrow. I was like, okay, then I was just checking to make sure that you're here, bro. I'm like, I told you I wasn't going anywhere. Okay. Um, and after that, so quick conversation, right? When was the next time I talked? Friday. He called me around 11:00 in the morning. I told him I was getting ready to go to the bank to get the money. went to the bank. I say between Was that Fifth Third or you did another branch? Fifth Third. Fifth Third. Located where? Gford Highway right. Okay. I feel so stupid right now, man. And I got to know that the other people are in on the wheels. They got to be all of a sudden. Oh, I think that's you. Please be stupid enough to be yourself right there. Should I stop taking notes? You go first. Go ahead. 75 street. What's your name, man? Huh? What's your name? Alex. Put that down. Put that down. Back. Okay. So, right now you're being You speak English? Yeah. Okay. Right now you're being detained. Okay. Huh? For potential check fraud. Okay. Oh, okay. Hold on. I'm just telling you what happened. I'm not ready to speak to you yet. Okay. I'll put your stuff in your pocket. Any weapons? Yeah. No, no, no. What's that? This not radio. I was just waiting on you. So, you got the check? Of course. Where the outdis come from? Huh? Where the outest come from? Walk that way. I seen him walking that way. Okay. And I knew it was him. I was like, I know this. Is this person with you? Uh, I know him. Yeah. That's it right there, though. And I've already spoke to the husband of the jail. He already got this. You got ID, right? Huh? You got ID? No. You don't got ID? Somebody take my ID. You don't You don't got ID? You got a wallet, right? I bumped the wallet in there. What? Malleta. Malleta. See? No. Wallet? No. You don't have a wallet on you? No. You sure? Yep. Okay. You got a passport? I got my P my passport is the the renewal in the and the donate to passport. Guatemala. Yeah. You don't got no ID, no license, no ID, no consulate ID, no passport. You don't have nothing that says you are who you are. So some somebody take it. Somebody say who? Yeah. When me drinking the beer? Yep. Somebody take it. Okay. The mascara, man. Yep. What is your full name? My name? Yes. Your name? My name is Javier. My friends told me for Alex. Alex. I don't care what your friends call you. What is your full name? Javier. Javier. What? Okay. Javier Ramos. You mean a Spanish speaker or you understand English good enough? Huh? What? So see see what what is the problem? I'm about to tell you what the problem is. I think you know what the problem is. You know the problem. Come on, Javier. No, no, Javier. Come on. Oh, see. So, hey. Yeah. You know what this is about? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Come on, Javier. We We adults. grown homeresto. [Music] I'm ready to start. All right. You have the right to remain silent. English. What's up? What's up with the checks? Huh? The checks? Oh, so me taking the the loss of the garbage. So me taking me looking. So so me talking with the guy over there. So he say, "Yeah, I help you." Yeah. He pass me, right? Okay. Yeah. Did he know where you got it from? Hm. Does he know where you got it from? My phone? No. No. The check. Mhm. Does he know where you got the check from? Did you tell him that you got it from the dumpster or did you What did you tell him? Oh, the human right here. Yeah. Yeah. So, what did you say? So, told him I got one check. So, can can you help me? So, no smile. So, me taking the dumpster radio. So, he does want to let you get the check from the dumpster. Yeah. You told him that. So, when me take is in the dumpster the garbage. So, every everybody everybody go in the with the bags in the dumpster and the trash and the big bags. So me looking over there some some shots for me. What dumpster? Over there in the Emery Hills. Ery Hills where me live. Okay. Where you live? So the black guy was not there. Huh? The black guy don't live in Emery Hills. The guy. The guy home that you gave the check to that you gave the check to the check. Mhm. To the guy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He wasn't at the dumpster, right? Or was he? Yeah. Me is the dumpster. I understand that when you gave the check to the guy, right? Mhm. You met him here. A key. Yeah. Homere. Mhm. No. A key at dumpster, right? Okay. I'm asking. No, no, no. Home. No. Okay. He was here. Yeah. And you met him here? Yeah. He he he is here. Did he know or did he not know? No, he he is here. Please select the language you need. For Spanish, press one. For all other languages, please you selected Spanish. You will be connected to the next available interpreter. So that your interpreter may better assist you, please speak in short, clear statements. Hello, my name is Mil. I will be your Spanish interpreter for 02219. Please go ahead. Okay. The check that you gave the black man, did he know that it was from the dumpster? Uh, no, he didn't know. But I told him that it wasn't I actually picked it up from the dumpster. Okay. Okay. So, what did he say once you told him that you found a check from the dumpster? He told me that he was going to get my money in cash and then um he helped me in 100. Okay. Did you offer 100 or did he ask for $100 to to help you cash it? Go for 74. Just checking up. No, no, no. Give me a call. interpret. I'm sorry. Could you What did he say? Speaking of medical, I'm going to be honest with you. I offered him $100 and he said, "Okay." Okay. Where did you get the other check from? The first check. of the the uh the trash where I live. Okay. So, does it belong to somebody that used to live with you? No. Who does the checks belong to? to be honest because a lot of people go there. Appreciate it. All right. All right. Thank you, interpreter. That's all we need from you. You have a good day. All right. Come on out, man. We're going to do a search now. Okay. Before we did a pat down, you were placing handcuffs and we're going to pat down. Not being intrusive to what is on your person, otherwise known as what's actually on your body or in your pocket. Now, I have to actually go in your pocket. So, you are going to be ar you are going to be baj. Okay. Uhhuh. Um, identity fraud. Okay. Um, at minimum. Okay. um possibly death by deception as well. So, but everything will be on your booking sheet so you can see the charges. They'll read you off your charges. Okay? And I'm going to I'm going to go before a judge and attempt to have warrant sign uh warrants cut, which pretty much means the judge is going to potentially sign a warrant for your arrest and he may not sign a warrant. Okay. Okay. Who is this? It's my uncle. Why do you have it? Huh? Why do you have it? live right here. Why do you have it? Oh, he he got me a drink here. My house. He come drinking? Yeah. So, why do you have it in your wallet? So, he he he he lived down in my my room. Oh, that's Who's that? I don't know. Where it come from? Huh? Where it come from? You don't know? No, my friend live up here somewhere. I was not able to copy your last traffic. Who is that? I don't know. How you got it? Huh? How do you grab it? Okay. I I don't know. Is is the package is the the my friend? Yeah. It's not my everything. Who is this? I don't know. You don't know? No, it's my friend. The the packet. Everything. Yeah. The the picture the the ID. This is your friend. No, no, no. The picture down the ID. This one right here. Yeah, this is my friend. This wallet belongs to this person. Yeah, this is my friend. But you have it. Why do you have it? Yeah, me have. He he he drink it with me. He drink? Yeah. When you done with drinking complete though, you give it back. No, no, no. So he he he drinking he he he come in the morning for work from he he sleep in the room. He he put in the room. me watch me me coming around here for walking when we talk with the friends. So for for me go on the house again for passing the bucket. Goodness me taking the driveway me walking bro. Bro me taking the driveway me walking. Yeah. Yep. You got excuse for everything. Oh okay. Nothing's you. Huh? Nada. Nada. See your brother, your sisters. You found it. Yes. Have a seat. Hold on. He was charged with identity fraud and transported to Deobb County Jail. Have a seat. See that?