Two arrested in check cashing scam

Corbin Police arrested two men Monday after they allegedly attempted to pass fake checks at the PNC Bank branch off of U.S. 25E and say they allegedly passed similar checks throughout the state.

Corbin Police Captain Coy Wilson, the department’s public affairs officer, said police arrested 24-year-old Daniel Cottrell of Corbin and 19-year-old Ryan Robinson of Lily, charging each with one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and theft by deception under $10,000.

Wilson said he was called to the bank after Cottrell and Robinson came in and attempted to cash what appeared to be payroll checks, one for $3,740 and the other for $2,435.42.

“They were from two different businesses,” Wilson said. “One is in Hedrick and the other in Lily.”

Wilson said bank officials were put on alert after Cottrell and Robinson allegedly came into the same branch back in October and presented payroll checks from businesses that actually had accounts at PNC Bank.

“People from the businesses came back to the bank and said, ‘These aren’t our checks,’” Wilson said.

“They looked really good but they were not actual checks,” Wilson added.

Wilson said Cottrell and Robinson have allegedly cashed checks at PNC Bank branches across the state have resulted in the bank losing approximately $25,000.

Cottrell and Robinson are each being held in the Knox County Detention Center on a $5,000 cash bond.