Area transient accused of stealing thousands using forged checks

Hunter
10/17/23

An area transient was arrested Monday and charged with forging checks and cashing them last year.

The first incident occurred on October 6th, when  58-year-old Ladonna Shaw went to the Muscatine Avenue branch of Green State Credit Union and chased a stolen personal check in the amount of $1800. On the 17th, she cashed another check on the same account in the amount of $4785, and on November 1st cashed a third forged check in the amount of $4750. The total amount of the stolen cash was $11,335.

Police say the checks were deposited and withdrawn on Shaw’s account and each incident was caught by the credit union’s surveillance video.  Shaw reportedly admitted to cashing the checks and allegedly stated she knew at least one was fraudulent.

A warrant was issued for Shaw’s arrest on May 23rd, and she was arrested Monday. She faces Forgery and 1st degree Theft charges, and could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Shaw was also wanted for failing to appear for a case management conference September 19th on a marijuana possession charge from earlier in the year. If convicted on that charge, she faces up to a year in jail.