Two Men Admit Participation In Check Fraud Ring

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that two men involved in a check fraud ring have pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court.  BENJII CARR, also known as Rodrick Lawon Davis, 39, of New Haven and North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.  LANGSTON XAVIER NEAL, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to the same charge yesterday.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2010 and May 2011, CARR, NEAL and Brandon Key Bentley obtained stolen checks, recruited “runners” who cashed the checks, and altered the checks to list the runners as the lawful payees.  The three individuals drove the runners to several Connecticut bank branches and directed them to enter the banks and cash the checks.  The runners were paid a small part of the cash proceeds.  Through this scheme, 39 checks totaling $114,102.34 were altered and presented to banks, and 37 of those checks totaling $104,070.94 were cashed by the banks.

On September 9, 2014, Bentley, 31, of New Haven, also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

CARR, NEAL and Bentley are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in February 2015.  Each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a fine of up to $1 million.

This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Connecticut Financial Fraud Task Force and the Branford, Madison, Middlebury, Milford, New Britain, New Haven, New Milford, North Branford, Waterbury, Woodbridge and Southbury Police Departments.  U.S Attorney Daly also acknowledged the cooperation and assistance of the State’s Attorney’s Offices for the Judicial Districts of New Haven, Waterbury, Fairfield and Tolland.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov