WPD: Ga. man accused of cashing over $12K in forged checks

WATERTOWN, NY — On 09/20/2018, a representative of the Watertown Savings Bank main office reported a possible larceny from one of their clients, the Jefferson County SPCA, according to a news release from the Watertown Police Department.

The investigation showed that someone had cashed three forged checks, which had a total value over $12,000, at three of their branches to include Clayton, Alexandria Bay and Watertown, police said.

The Watertown Police Department has been investigating the larceny in the city and the Jefferson County Sheriff Office has been investigating the larcenies in Clayton and Alexandria Bay.

On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Watertown Police Department drove to Saratoga Springs and arrested one of the suspects from this investigation, Javonte J. Johnson, 21, of 3444 Woods Dr., Decatur, GA.

He was charged with one count of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and one count of third-degree grand larceny, both felonies.

Mr. Johnson had been recently released from jail where he had been held on similar charges. He was brought to Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and held for arraignment in City Court today.

On this date, Mr. Johnson was arrested by members of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and charged with two additional counts of the same felonies as above for the other larcenies in Jefferson County.

He was brought to City Court where he was arraigned before the Hon. Eugene Renzi. He was remanded to the Jefferson County Jail with bail being set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond.

This is an ongoing investigation.

If anyone has information to share, they are encouraged to call the Watertown Police Department at (315) 782-2233 or the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at (315) 788-1441.