Police: Western Pa. check-cashing scheme netted nearly $118K

Four North Carolina men are accused of involvement in a fraudulent check-cashing scheme that netted $117,600 from 9 banks in the region, including seven in Westmoreland County.

State police said the group was not successful in attempts to cash an additional $130,700 worth of checks, according to court papers.

Jaylon Maurice Speight, 29, was arraigned Tuesday and lodged in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail. Arrest warrants have been issued for the other three suspects: Ronald S. Daniels Jr., 53; Quante Tavon Smith, 28; and Shea A. Langley, 35.

All four are charged with numerous counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, forgery and access device fraud.

Troopers began investigating in late 2023 after learning that a fraudulent check was deposited into an account at a Unity bank followed by numerous withdrawals, according to court papers. Investigators identified nine other banks that had fraudulent checks deposited on Nov. 24. They were in Ligonier Borough, Hempfield, Greensburg, South Greensburg, North Huntingdon, Richland in Cambria County and Conemaugh in Somerset County, according to court papers.

A bank employee at a Hempfield branch was suspicious of the validity of a check that was attempted to be deposited there the same day, police said.

Troopers worked with investigators in Ohio to identify the four suspects by comparing video surveillance from the banks to interviews of them after arrests for similar offenses there.

Speight did not have an attorney listed in online court records. A preliminary hearing is set for July 9.