Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that a federal grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio, returned an indictment charging four Cleveland area men with Conspiracy, Making, Uttering and Possessing Counterfeited and Forged Securities, Making False Statements to a Federally Insured Financial Institution, and Aggravated Identity Theft.

Named in the Indictment are the following individuals:
Delvin J. Samuels, age 35, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio;
Keith G. Golston, age 52, of Twinsburg, Ohio;
Lamont S. Weakley, age 38, of Cleveland, Ohio; and
Matthew Rios, age 39, of Solon, Ohio.

The indictment charges that between October 23, 2007, and May 7, 2008, Samuels, Golston, Weakley and Rios conspired together, and with others not named in the indictment, to make, utter and possess counterfeited and forged securities (checks), make false statements to federally insured financial institutions on loan applications, and transfer, possess and use the means of identification of others without lawful authority, and that as a result of their actions, Key Bank, National City Bank, Charter One Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Citi Financial and Household Finance Company lost more than $473,000.00.

The indictment charges that Samuels, Golston, Weakley and Rios negotiated and attempted to negotiate eight counterfeited or forged checks totaling approximately $399,787.20 during the period covered by the indictment. The checks were drawn on accounts purportedly maintained by Henry County Clerk of Courts, Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts, Summit County Clerk of Courts, Household Bank, Citi Financial and a law firm located in Cleveland, Ohio.

The indictment also charges that Samuels and Golston used the means of identification of other individuals to apply for vehicle and business loans totaling over $73,850.00, through National City Bank and Fifth Third Bank in the greater Cleveland area.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Kern of the Cleveland U.S. Attorney’s Office, following an investigation by the Cleveland Office of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Solon, North Randall and Cleveland Police Departments.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.