Springdale police arrested a 12th person Sunday in connection with a fake payroll check-cashing scheme.
Sherena Smith, 25, of 1758 Shamblin Ave. in Fayetteville faces felony charges of first-degree continuing criminal enterprise and second-degree accomplice to forgery in the second degree.
Smith reportedly allowed two men, Terrance Jackson and Cornelius Thompson, to operate equipment forging payroll checks from her home. More than 30 people cashed or attempted to cash forged checks, according to an arrest affidavit.
On June 20, Smith told detectives and a U.S. Secret Service agent she received gifts from Jackson and Thompson and also $50 for taking three people to Walmart and Metropolitan Bank to cash checks, according to police.
In June, Harps Food Stores’ corporate office contacted police about the forged payroll checks, purportedly from Superior Wheels. The checks were made to look like they were issued by the Fayetteville plant of Superior Industries, which makes automotive wheels.
The Fayetteville Police Department received reports of forged payroll checks from Rockline Industries and AAA Surface Cleaning, some of which were cashed and others declined at Walmart stores in Fayetteville, according to the report. The account numbers weren’t linked to either of the businesses, according to police.
Detectives used surveillance footage to identify people who cashed the checks, which totaled more than $32,000.
Smith was in the Washington County Detention Center on Monday on a $10,000 bond.