Check fraud case moving slowly

Four months after a federal grand jury indicted three men for distributing counterfeit University and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia checks worth $155,000, no one has been sentenced in the case. But according to the prosecuting attorney, U.S. District Attorney Robert Zauzmer, two of the men, Richard Walker, of the 8500 block of Marsden Street, and Demetrius White, of the 5500 block of Regent Street, have plead guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The third man, David Davis of the 1300 block of South Lindenwood Street, is scheduled to go to trial April 18 in district court, Zauzmer said. Although Walker was originally scheduled for sentencing Feb. 10, Zauzmer filed a post-trial motion last month to postpone the sentencing until after Davis' trial, in which Zauzmer plans to use Walker as a witness. According to Zauzmer, Walker is now scheduled to be sentenced May 6. White's sentencing will take place on March 18. "So far, so good," Zauzmer said of the prosecution. Davis and White were indicted last October on one count of conspiracy to distribute counterfeit checks and six counts of distribution of counterfeit checks. Walker was charged with one count of distribution of counterfeit checks. The indictment alleges that Davis and White obtained authentic checks from CHOP and the University in April 1992. They then allegedly placed orders with a printing company in New Jersey for 1,000 CHOP checks and 250 University checks, using the authentic checks as samples. The indictment also alleges that Davis and White conspired with others, including Walker, to cash the counterfeit checks at various check cashing agencies and to purchase goods at several stores, including Sears and Advanced Technology computers. The scheme lasted from April 10, 1992 until March 26, 1993, according to the indictment. Davis and White attempted to cash checks totaling over $120,000, and succeeded in getting cash and goods valued at over $35,000, a U.S. Justice Department press release states.

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