N.J. man linked to fake check case
A New Jersey man is behind bars on charges tied to a 2017 counterfeit check case in Cranberry Township.
Butler County sheriff's deputies traveled to New Jersey and returned Wednesday with the defendant, Dayshawn Mingo, 20, of Newark.
District Judge Bill O'Donnell arraigned Mingo on felony charges of forgery, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property.
He was placed in the Butler County Prison on $25,000 bail following arraignment.
Cranberry Township Police Sgt. Chuck Mascellino said that Mingo created three fraudulent business checks in the name of a township jewelry store in 2017.
The checks apparently were far from the work of a master counterfeiter.
The suspect misspelled the business' name on the checks, according to investigators. The fake checks also did not have a watermark next to the signature.
Police said the investigation eventually identified Mingo as having deposited the checks, which totaled $2,883.74, into his Bank of America account on April 14, 2017.
The checks were deposited at two different bank branches in New Jersey.
The next day, police said, he made two separate $300 check withdrawals, and on April 17 made a $2,300 teller withdrawal at two other Bank of America branches in Newark.
Surveillance video was used to help identify Mingo, investigators said. Police obtained an arrest warrant for him on Nov. 7, 2017.
The defendant landed in trouble with the law in his home state Nov. 3, 2018, when he allegedly committee an armed carjacking in East Orange.
Essex County Sheriff's deputies arrested him in the case. He is charged with carjacking and unlawful possession of a handgun, according to the sheriff's office.
Knowing that Mingo was also wanted on an arrest warrant in Pennsylvania, New Jersey authorities notified Cranberry Township police that he was in custody.
Mascellino said the defendant Feb. 7 waived extradition to Butler County to face charges here.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 22 at the office of District Judge Dave Kovach.
Online court records did not indicate if Mingo has an attorney.
