Woman arrested for allegedly forging stolen check
A local woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly trying to forge a check stolen from her boyfriend’s father at an area bank.
Samantha Renee McConnell, 25, who lists a McAfferty Street address, was taken into custody shortly after 5 p.m. at Bank OZK, 1410 Albert Pike Road, and charged with a felony count of second-degree forgery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
McConnell, a felon, was later released on a $3,500 bond and is set to appear on Feb.
10 in Garland
County District
Court. According to court records, she was convicted on
Jan. 12, 2016, of residential burglary in Garland County Circuit Court and sentenced to five years’ supervised probation. She was arrested on April 25 in Jefferson County on felony charges of possession of a firearm by certain person and theft by receiving of a firearm with the case pending in circuit court.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Tuesday’s charge, around 4:15 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Joel Crook responded to Bank OZK regarding a possible forgery and was told a known suspect, identified as McConnell, was attempting to cash a stolen check.
Crook made contact with McConnell, who was in possession of a check belonging to her boyfriend’s father. Prior to the officers’ arrival, the bank contacted the owner of the check, who stated it was fraudulent and he didn’t realize his checks were missing until the bank called him.
When asked if he knew McConnell, the owner confirmed she was his son’s girlfriend. He said he believes his son stole the checks from his residence in Hot Springs Village and that McConnell should not be in possession “of any of his checks.”
The check McConnell allegedly attempted to cash was written out to her for $920.