LOUISVILLE, KY – A Louisville woman has been sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release today, by U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Simpson III, after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possession of forged instruments announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

According to the ten count indictment, Dawn Russell, age 44, conspired with Percy Brown and others to manufacture, pass, and attempt to pass $123,891.55 in counterfeit checks in Louisville, Kentucky between January 2008 and June 2009. The federal grand jury in Louisville indicted both Russell and Brown on August 3, 2010 and Russell faces additional charges in an October 19, 2011 superseding indictment. The initial indictment alleges that Russell and Brown fraudulently manufactured counterfeit checks using bank account information from actual bank accounts. It further states that Russell and Brown recruited individuals to pass counterfeit checks in the recruited individuals’ actual names. From November through January 2009, Russell is alleged to have recruited (P.L) to pass counterfeit checks at Louisville area merchants. In April and May of 2009 Russell obtained from (P.L) checks from a closed personal checking account and then fraudulently passed the checks at Louisville banks. The conspiracy targeted banks, merchants and a not-for-profit Louisville agency.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Calhoun and was investigated by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Secret Service.

Percy Brown is facing additional state charges and remains in state custody. A trial date has not been scheduled.

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