Huntington man convicted of stealing checks from employer and roommate

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WOWK) – A Huntington man has been convicted of aggravated identity theft.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, George West, 53, of Huntington, will spend two years in prison followed by one year of supervised release for this charge. He was also ordered to pay and forfeit $14,456.45 in restitution.

Court documents and declarations indicate that when West was employed at a business in Huntington, he falsified the name of the business owner on a check for $780 from the business account on Jan. 12, 2022. He then allegedly gave the check to his then roommate for the rent. that he owed the roommate.

According to court records, West admitted he was not authorized to write or sign checks on behalf of the business owner, nor was he entitled to that money. He also allegedly told the roommate that the business owner owed West money.

Court records further indicate that West also stole two checks from his roommate and wrote each one for $780, also for rent. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, he signed these checks with the roommate's name even though he was not authorized to do so.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, West is currently in the Carter County Detention Center in Kentucky.