United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2010
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS FOUR
ON BANK FRAUD AND RELATED CHARGES

AMARILLO, Texas — A federal grand jury in Amarillo has returned a 29-count indictment charging four individuals with various offenses related to their involvement in a bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

The following individuals are each charged with one count of bank fraud:

Keith Raye Nickerson, 45, of Amarillo
Edith June Nickerson, a/k/a “Edith Collums,” 39, of Amarillo
Kim Vardel Orange, 49, of California
Jamon Jerrod Williams, 34, of Amarillo

Each of the defendants is also charged with several counts of fictitious obligations.

The indictment alleges that from June 2009 through October 2010, the defendants schemed to defraud Amarillo National Bank, Happy State Bank, Herring National Bank, HigherOne, First Bank Southwest, First National Bank of Texas, First Convenience Bank, Woodforest National Bank and Amarillo Federal Credit Union.

As part of the scheme they issued and passed, and recruited others to pass, false and fraudulent securities of nonexistent businesses and personal checks on closed or insufficient funds accounts at various financial institution and businesses in Texas. They would also “kite” the counterfeited checks, that is, they would deposit checks from an account with insufficient funds or a closed account to cover a withdrawal of funds from another account with insufficient funds or closed account. Then, by issuing checks to each other, and by presenting the checks and recruiting others to present the checks at various banks, merchants and check-cashing businesses, they perpetuated the kite.

According to the indictment, during the course of the conspiracy, the defendants and others negotiated more than $100,000 in worthless checks.

 An indictment is an accusation by a federal grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the bank fraud count carries a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine and each of the fictitious obligations accounts carries a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution could be ordered.

The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Amarillo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy L. Drake of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, is in charge of the prosecution.

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