Man arrested for asking minor to cash fake check

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Oltha Lee Wallace, Jr., 38, was arrested yesterday and charged with forgery of a check and contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allegedly asking a 17-year-old to cash a check that he had falsified using stolen money. check.

According to an affidavit filed by a Gainesville police officer, the victim received a call from Florida Credit Union on Feb. 29 about someone trying to cash a check from the victim's account. The victim reportedly realized someone had broken into his auto repair shop and stolen his personal checkbook.

Video from the credit union allegedly shows Wallace and the 17-year-old boy trying to cash the check. Wallace allegedly filled out the stolen check and instructed the boy how to cash it; he allegedly told the boy that he could not cash it because he did not have his ID with him and he allegedly lied to the boy about where the check came from. The boy apparently didn't know the check was fraudulent and thought he was just helping Wallace because he didn't have his ID.

Judge William Davis signed a warrant for Wallace's arrest on April 16, setting bail at $25,000, and Wallace was arrested yesterday.

Wallace has two felony convictions (none violent) and five misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He served time in state prison and was released in 2014. Judge Luis Bustamante set bail at $25,000, the amount set in the warrant.

Articles about the arrests are based on law enforcement reports. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are charges only. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.