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Police say forgery suspect recruited by fraud ring

By Howard B. Owens
O'Neil Llewellyn Thomas Webb

A second man has been arrested in an alleged attempt to cash forged checks at a Le Roy bank last week, and investigators say the scheme is part of a larger forgery ring based in out of state.

Le Roy PD, as part of a joint investigation with Batavia PD, has arrested 40-year-old O'Neil O. Llewellyn, of Hudson Street, Syracuse.

It's alleged that Llewellyn entered the bank knowingly in possession of a forged check with the intent to cash the check.

He is charged with one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd, a Class D felony.

Further charges are pending in Batavia.

Last week, Le Roy PD arrested Thomas A. Webb, 54, of Syracuse, and charged him with criminal possession of a forged instrument, 2nd.

Webb was arrested after a bank employee called about two people in the bank trying to cash forged checks. Webb was apprehended at the scene while the second person fled.

Le Roy investigators say it appears that an out-of-state forgery ring went to Syracuse and recruited area residents to cash forged checks. The recruits were then driven around New York to various bank locations, where they attempted to cash the forged checks. 

Each recruit received a small percentage of the value of a successfully cashed check.

Llewellyn was ordered held on $10,000 bail.

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