Two Orange residents were among five people pleading guilty to federal counterfeiting charges in connection with counterfeit checks that were cashed for more than $110,000.
Four of the people pleaded guilty to conspiracy to counterfeit business checks today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith F. Giblin. The four are 31-year-old Sonja DeAnn Lee of Orange, 36-year-old Felicia Nicole Ardoin of Beaumont, 26-year-old Norris Marie Narcisse III of Port Arthur and 41-year-old Kevin Douglas Orphe of Port Arthur.
39-year-old Kenneth Ray Smith of Orange pleaded guilty in November to the conspiracy charge along with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that a joint task force was formed after the Beaumont Police Department received an unusual number of complaints from merchants, banks and individuals with bank accounts. Twelve companies in Southeast Texas reported that they had a total of 144 counterfeit payroll checks cashed. Grocery stores and other merchants who cashed the checks were also affected.
Each of the defendants faces up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy charge. Smith faces an addition 10 years in federal prison for the firearms violation. Sentencing dates have not been set.
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