Roth pleads guilty to check fraud

POLSON – Correne Roth plead guilty to felony forgery for a string of small checks she wrote on a stolen checkbook earlier this year.

Roth, 27 of Elmo was arrested in February after she was caught with the stolen checkbook in her possession while trying to pay for pizza at a local restaurant.

Lake County court records show the checkbook was stolen from the home of a friend Roth was visiting.

Six checks were written between Feb. 9 and 11.

Once the victim learned that her checkbook was stolen, she started fighting back.

The victim “…was able to ascertain that the (Roth’s) date of birth and driver’s license number were noted” on one of the checks cashed through her local bank.

“ In addition, (the victim) spoke to the delivery driver who took one of the checks for pizza and said he delivered the pizza to (Roth’s) mother’s home,” court records said.

Three electronic checks were cashed at a local superstore.

Roth ran out of luck at a different pizza joint Feb. 11 when she tried to buy another Italian pie.

“She filled out a check and gave it to the clerk who refused to accept it without identification,” court records said.

While Roth went to get a few friends to help her try to resubmit the questionable check, the pizza joint manager called Polson Police Department.

A few minutes later, Roth re-arrived with her two friends and tried to write the bad check again.

After a second refusal, the trio went to their car, where Polson Police Department officers confronted Roth.

“(Roth) was interviewed and was not able to tell the officers whose name was on the check,” court records said. “She said she thought it was her brother or sister-in-law’s check, then added she did not know whose check it was.”

Roth was placed under arrest for forgery.

Roth was booked into Lake County Jail and argued for lowered bonds until she was able to post $208 cash and gain her release. She was scheduled for trial three times, did not show up for at least one omnibus hearing and was re-arrested before she plead guilty to felony forgery Aug. 13.

District Court Judge James A. Manley sentenced Roth to six months in Lake County Jail with all that time suspended and credit for the 69 days of time served. Roth was forced to forfeit her $208 bond and agree to pay a total of $1,700 in court-related fees.