Victims in forgery case growing

A Jellico man was arrested Monday for allegedly attempting to pass a forged check at a Corbin convenience store, and police say he may have been involved in similar incidents in the past.
Deron Ausmus, 26, was charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, felony theft, forgery and possession of a forgery device.
Corbin Police Officer Glenn Taylor, Jr. responded to a call from Convenient Food Mart on Cumberland Falls Hwy. Monday evening at 9:30 p.m. regarding a man trying to cash a forged check that was from Comcheck Corp. Taylor said he arrested Ausmus after a short investigation.
Police searched Ausmus’ car and found an item used to forge the check.
“I found an ink pad and two sets of lettering and numbering,” Taylor said. “He’s doing them by hand. The letters on the checks are not real straight. I don’t know why these places are not red-flagging them. I guess they look legit in a way, but you can tell the letters are not straight.”
Ausmus was also charged with forgery on a Whitley County arrest warrant sworn out by staff at the Whitley County Detention Center in mid-February.
Taylor said since the arrest, the number of businesses claiming to have received similar checks is growing.
“Wal-Mart in Corbin got at least two checks. Another guy called and said he has one too,” Taylor said. “It just keeps growing. There’s at least five that I know of right now. Some of these businesses have him on surveillance video doing it. We got that guy, now we just need to get all these people that have taken the checks together and get some kind of justice.”
Taylor said Comcheck Corp. is a legitimate business. He said he called the check number for the check Ausmus tried to cash at Convenient and was told it was invalid. Police could not locate any more Comcheck Corp. checks in Ausmus’ vehicle, but said it is likely he’s stolen more and that they are at another location.
Authorities are attempting to obtain a search warrant for Ausmus’ home in Tennessee.
Ausmus was taken to the Whitley County Detention Center. Officer Jason Moore assisted in the arrest.
Police say any businesses that might have received a check from Comcheck Corp. should contact the Corbin Police Department at 528-1122.