Arkansas Man Sentenced for Multi-State Check Fraud Scheme

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Ricky Ellis Lamb, age 66, originally from Arkansas, was sentenced on March 8, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for passing a fictitious obligation. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Lamb to a sentence of time served; Lamb has been in custody for related charges in multiple states since August 15, 2019. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lamb is released from custody on additional pending charges in multiple states, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Lamb was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $55,653.16 to the victims of his offense.

From on or about January 15, 2019, through on or about July 15, 2019, Lamb traveled throughout the Midwest passing, uttering, presenting and offering fictitious securities to farm or hardware store. Specifically, Lamb passed, 72 fictitious checks at multiple stores throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Colorado. The fictitious checks purported to be issued under the authority of 14 different fictitious organizations belonging to Lamb.

As a result of Lamb’s scheme, he caused a total loss of $64,651.27. Of that total loss, $7,243.37 occurred within the District of Nebraska across a span of 7 fraudulent transactions.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service in conjunction with numerous local law enforcement agencies across several states.