North Carolina authorities continue to investigate and recover additional checks and stolen credit cards from two Essex County men accused of stealing them from New York and NJ.
In an earlier story we brought you on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, Chief Terry M. Wright told RLS Media that Cpl. Callahan, assigned to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division Community Action Team, initiated a traffic stop on US Highway 64 on a 2019 Infinity with New Jersey license plates for traffic violations.
According to Cpl. Callahan During the stop, probable cause was gathered, and a search of the vehicle ensued.
Officials say Cpl. Callahan located inside the vehicle were a scale, a vacuum-sealed bag with Marijuana residue inside, several bank checks from the New Jersey/New York area, and credit cards.
Chief Terry M. Wright said many checks appeared to have been altered and replaced with different names and amounts.
Two occupants, Mr. Wayne L. Barton, 28, of Maplewood, and Mr. Blancsun Altidor, 28, of Newark, were taken into custody and initially charged with fraud-related charges.
An additional investigation continued over the next few days and pursuant to a search warrant of the vehicle, several additional checks and credit cards were discovered hidden inside the car.
North Carolina officials said as a result of the investigation, over 20 fraudulent checks totaling more than 1.4 million dollars, over $9,000 in cash, and 22 stolen credit cards were located.
The following individuals have been charged with various offenses related to this matter:
Wayne L. Barton
(4) Counts of Possessing and Transporting Counterfeit Instruments (22) Counts of Financial Transaction Card Theft (30) Counts of Identity Theft (9) Counts of Chose in Action
Blancsun Altidor (4) Counts of Possessing and Transporting Counterfeit Instruments (22) Counts of Financial Transaction Card Theft (30) Counts of Identity Theft (9) Counts of Chose in Action
Both suspects are currently held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $1,500.000 million bond.