A man who authorities said walked into a Bank of America and tried to passoff a stolen check is now behind bars.
It happened at 3:51 p.m. at 1525 Stafford Marketplace, when Stafford County Sheriff’s deputies were called t to the bank where employees said a man tried to cash a check that had been reported stolen, and had been altered from $1,500 to $11,000, sheriff’s department spokeswoman Amanda Vicinanzo said.
After he struck out, the man fled in a dark-colored vehicle with several other occupants inside, said Vicinanco.
Two sheriff’s deputies later found the car in the nearby area of 40 Prosperity Lane. They stopped the car and, initially, the front passenger provided false identification to deputies, said Vicinznzo Eventually, he admitted his real identity was Eric Wilhoit II, 26, of Fredericksburg, who was wanted in Maryland on extradition charges, said Vicinanzo.
A rear passenger was identified as Jayshon Bates, 18, of Stafford. Deputies later determined that Wilhoit gave the check to Bates and asked him to go into the bank and cash it, said Vicinanzo.
Wilhoit was taken into custody and incarcerated at Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond on charges of forgery, providing false identification to avoid arrest, and fugitive from justice. Bates was released on a personal recognizance bond on charges of uttering a check, said Vicinanzo.
