CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion woman is facing charges after she allegedly stole a check out of a mailbox and then forged and cashed it.

According to court documents, on June 3, the Clarion Borough Police Department filed the following criminal charges against 48-year-old Lori Ann Shelley:

– Forgery — Alter Writing, Felony 2
– Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 2
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 2

Clarion Borough Police were dispatched around 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, to a residence on South 6th Avenue for a report of a theft.

At the scene, police spoke with a known victim who reported that she made out a check on her personal account to a known woman in the amount of $50.00. She placed the check in the outgoing mail from her office on May 25, according to the complaint.

On June 1, the victim discovered the check had been cashed the same day she mailed it. She then contacted the intended recipient and found the recipient had never received the check.

The victim showed police a copy of the cashed check, the back of which was signed in the name of the intended recipient and a second known woman. Police then contacted the intended recipient and confirmed that she had not received or cashed the check. She also reportedly stated she doesn’t know the second known woman who also cashed the check, according to the complaint.

When the victim was asked about anyone else living in the building, she said the only other tenant was Lori Shelley, who lived in the upstairs apartment.

According to the complaint, when questioned about the check, Shelley admitted to taking and cashing it. She told police she found it in the mailbox outside of the building and took it to a local bank where she had the second known woman cash it for her. She then took the money and spent it.

Shelley explained that she had the second known woman cash the check for her because the second woman had a checking account, and she did not. In addition, Shelley admitted to endorsing the check, the complaint states.

Shelley was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn at 11:11 a.m. on June 3.

She is currently free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, with Judge Quinn presiding.

As of Friday, June 5, no charges have been filed against the second known woman involved in cashing the check.