Terrance Smith, Counterfeit Business Checks, Florida 2013

A Duval County man has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his involvement in passing multiple counterfeit business checks. Terrance Smith (38, Duval County) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams for his role in the scheme, which also involved violating the terms of his federal supervised release.

According to court documents, in October 2013, a pastor from a local church contacted the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) to report that their bank account number was being used on counterfeit business checks. The church’s bank account number was being used on approximately 25 counterfeit business checks, purportedly from Waste Management and Ciera Staffing, which were being cashed throughout Duval County.

The JSO determined that ten individuals had cashed or attempted to cash the counterfeit checks, and an investigation revealed that Smith had begun obtaining and distributing the counterfeit checks using the church’s bank account number. Smith would recruit various individuals and provide transportation to them for the purpose of cashing the checks. When a passer was successful in cashing a check, the proceeds were returned to Smith, who would then pay a percentage of the proceeds to the passer and retain the remaining cash or share it with others involved in the scheme.

On November 13, 2013, the JSO, U.S. Secret Service, and members of the North Florida High Tech Crime Task Force set up surveillance in a Jacksonville trailer park. Smith’s vehicle entered the trailer park, and officers conducted an investigative stop of the vehicle after it exited the park. An inventory of the vehicle revealed counterfeit check stubs listing the purported earnings of employees for various companies, along with torn counterfeit checks supposedly issued by Winn-Dixie.

The case was investigated by the North Florida High Tech Crime Task Force, JSO, and U.S. Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.

Terrance Smith’s involvement in the counterfeit checks scheme highlights the need for vigilance in protecting against these types of crimes. The public should be aware of the risks associated with counterfeit checks and take steps to protect themselves from becoming victims of these types of scams.

The 36-month sentence handed down to Terrance Smith serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of engaging in counterfeiting activities. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors will continue to work together to bring perpetrators to justice and protect the public from these types of crimes.

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