JEFFERSON CO., Pa. (EYT) — A Mayport woman is facing felony charges after she allegedly stole checks from a local business and then cashed them at a store in Ringgold Township, Jefferson County.

Court documents indicate the Punxsutawney-based State Police filed the following criminal charges against 26-year-old Kayla Anne McCullough, of Mayport, on July 11, 2018:

• Forgery — Unauthorized Act In Writing, Felony 2 (two counts)
• Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)
• Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1 (two counts)

According to police, on February 11, 2016, a known victim received a call from an employee of his business stating they needed to talk about checks that had been cashed at a Ringgold Township store.

The employee informed the victim that Kayla McCullough had been issuing checks from the victim’s business account. The employee who notified the victim had permission to issue checks for business purposes and typically kept the checkbook in a company vehicle.

The complaint notes that McCullough was dating another of the victim’s employees at that time.

The victim spoke to McCullough who admitted to taking the checks, stating that she was having problems and needed the money. McCullough informed the victim that she took and cashed three checks.

The bank provided the victim with photocopies of two checks which had already cleared the bank which the victim identified as stolen. The victim confirmed the signature on the checks was authentic as he typically signed checks for the employee to use, however, the amounts and “pay to the order of” were not authorized.

Around 4:45 p.m. on February 15, 2016, Trooper Powell interviewed the owner of the store where the checks were cashed. The owner confirmed that McCullough had cashed several checks at the store and could recall waiting on her.

According to the complaint, the owner said McCullough had purchased small items — soda and chips — and then requested cash back. The owner also explained that McCullough would write in the amount and make it payable to the store, but the checks were already signed. The owner was uncertain of the exact dates but thought it was either Monday, February 8 or Tuesday, February 9.

On February 17, 2016, the victim provided Trooper Powell with photocopies of two checks that had been stolen and cashed at the store: one check dated January 22, 2016, in the amount of $300.00, and one check dated February 6, 2016, in the amount of $150.00.

Around 2:25 p.m. on June 26, 2018, Trooper Weaver interviewed McCullough at PSP Punxsutawney.

According to the complaint, McCullough stated that she and her boyfriend were friends with the victim, and her boyfriend was employed by him at the time of the incident. She stated that the victim gave her and her boyfriend access to the checkbook that was located in the company truck and free access to the checking account when needed.

McCullough told police that she wrote out the checks in question and cashed them to pay for expenses for repairs for the company truck, though she was not an employee of the company. She said she was aware that the victim reported it to police because he contacted her approximately one week later and asked if she took the money, to which she said “yes,” according to the complaint.

McCullough said the victim subsequently fired her boyfriend and withheld his last paycheck. She claimed the company truck was repaired by her “Uncle Jim,” the complaint states.

The complaint indicates that McCullough could not give any contact information or details regarding the repairs.

According to the complaint, when McCullough was told that her story was not believable, she stated that “she took the checks and cashed them in for drugs and stated she remembered the $160.00 check but could not remember what she did with the $300.00 check.”

Based on the investigation, charges were filed against McCullough in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on July 11, 2018.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, September 6, with Judge Mizerock presiding.