David Lewis, Jr., who is currently an inmate at the North Central Unit of the state prison system at Calico Rock, pled guilty to forgery and theft of property charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The 33-year-old Lewis was charged with manufacturing checks on a stolen laptop computer and passing those checks at a number of local businesses in June and July.
The cashing of two checks at a local grocery in June was captured on the store’s video surveillance system and Lewis was identified as the person making the transactions.
According to court records, Lewis was interviewed by investigators on July 11th and admitted to manufacturing the checks and then cashing them. The total of the fake checks came to almost $3,000 and Lewis was ordered to pay restitution in that amount.
Lewis also admitted to stealing a laptop computer on which he manufactured the checks as well as a forged prescription that was reported by a Mountain Home pharmacy in early July. If it is determined that the laptop, valued at slightly more than $800, was not returned to the business from which it was taken, the cost of the computer will be added to the restitution for which Lewis is responsible.
Lewis is currently in prison on an earlier conviction from Marion County. According to the Arkansas Department of Correction website, Lewis has served prison time on cases stretching back to 2005. He has been convicted with a number of crimes, including forgery, residential burglary, drug-related offenses, fraudulent use of a credit card, possession of firearms by a felon and theft of property.
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