Cleveland man charged with bank fraud

A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment charging Kenneth L. Jefferson, 60, of Cleveland, with unlawful possession of a postal key and eight counts of bank fraud, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment alleges Jefferson defrauded Key Bank, Charter One Bank and U.S. Bank through misrepresentations relating to numerous checks.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after consideration of the federal sentencing guidelines that includes a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Cronin is prosecuting the case following an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

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