Laplace Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Pass Fictitious Checks

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that ELLIS RANSON, III, age 28, of Laplace, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to pass fictitious obligations.

U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr. sentenced RANSON to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Special Agents from the United States Secret Service, New Orleans Field Office, investigated an attempted pass of a counterfeit payroll check that occurred at the Wal-Mart store located on Veterans Boulevard in Kenner. Through their investigation, the agents discovered that RANSON had produced the counterfeit payroll check.  RANSON manufactured the counterfeit checks for negotiation at different Wal-Mart retail stores. He worked with others who would cash the counterfeit checks at Wal-Mart stores and then return to him in order to split the proceeds.

U.S. Attorney Polite praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service, New Orleans Field Office for investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Loan "Mimi" Nguyen was in charge of the prosecution.