St. Louis, MO – Pierre Watson, 39, is facing a significantly extended stay behind bars after being sentenced to a combined 132 months in federal prison. The Jennings Correction Center inmate received a 48-month sentence on Thursday from U.S. District Judge John Ross, to be served consecutively with an existing 84-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig in June.
Watson’s audacity is remarkable: he orchestrated a complex check-kiting scheme – dubbed “piggybacking” by investigators – while already in jail awaiting trial on separate fraud charges. Check-kiting exploits the delay between a check deposit and the bank’s notification that funds aren’t available, allowing criminals to temporarily inflate their accounts with worthless checks. Watson’s scheme was discovered even as he was preparing to defend himself against allegations of producing counterfeit checks and committing bank fraud.
The initial conviction, stemming from a November 2016 bench trial before Judge Fleissig, found Watson guilty of conspiring to create counterfeit checks using both legitimate and fictitious businesses. He was already in custody pending sentencing for those crimes when he initiated the check-kiting operation, demonstrating a brazen disregard for the law and a continued commitment to fraud even within the confines of a correctional facility. The fact that he continued criminal activity *while detained* clearly influenced Judge Ross’s decision to impose a consecutive sentence.
Federal investigators say Watson’s operation involved exploiting the float – the time gap between depositing a check and the bank discovering it won’t clear. He allegedly “piggybacked” checks between accounts, creating the illusion of sufficient funds to cover transactions. This isn’t a spur-of-the-moment crime; check-kiting requires planning, access to bank accounts (even through accomplices), and a detailed understanding of the banking system.
The case was a joint effort, spearheaded by the U.S. Secret Service, alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis County Police Department. These agencies worked to untangle the web of fraudulent transactions and gather evidence for both trials. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case, successfully securing convictions in both instances.
Watson’s case serves as a stark reminder that criminal activity doesn’t stop at the prison gates. It also highlights the Secret Service’s continued focus on financial crimes, even when those crimes originate from within the correctional system. With a total of 132 months awaiting him, Watson will likely have plenty of time to reflect on the consequences of his relentless pursuit of illicit gain.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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