December 16, 2002
Sean Caine, 410-576-6357
CONVICTED IN 99 COUNTERFEIT CHECK RING GETS
BALANCE OF 10 YR. SENTENCE FOR VIOLATING PROBATION
General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Jennifer Scruggs,
43, whose last known address was 4826 Benning Road, SE, Washington,
DC, was found guilty of violating her probation in connection with
her 1999 conviction for forgery and was sentenced by the Honorable
Michael P. Whelan, Circuit Court for Prince Georges County, to serve
the balance of her original 10 year sentence in the Division of
Corrections. At the time of her sentencing in 1999, all but six
years of her 10 year sentence was suspended. The court found that
she had violated her probation by absconding from supervision. Scruggs
has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1984 for convictions
in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, ranging from
Uttering, Theft of Government Property, Forgery and Felony Theft.
and her co-defendant were originally charged with running a counterfeit
check cashing scheme from their home in Laurel where they manufactured
counterfeit payroll checks and had several individuals, or passers,
negotiate the checks at local check cashing facilities and liquor
stores, before bringing the money to Scruggs. The counterfeit checks
were drawn on the accounts of unsuspecting area government agencies
and businesses, such as the Library of Congress, Turner Construction
and Clark Construction. In less than six months, the scheme netted
over $40,000, before the ring was broken up by the Maryland State
Police and the United States Secret Service.
applaud Judge Whelan for enforcing the terms of Ms. Scruggs
probation," Attorney General Curran said. "Identity Fraud
is a serious crime that needs to carry serious penalties for those
who commit it."
case was prosecuted by the Criminal Investigations Division of the
Office of the Attorney General.