The Cole County Grand Jury recently handed down several indictments, indicating they found enough evidence to send cases to the circuit courts for possible trial.
• Among those indicted was a Jefferson City woman charged with stealing items from a dead woman.
Erica Fletcher, 34, is charged with second-degree burglary and stealing.
Officers investigated a check forgery in October at Family Dollar on Madison Street, where Fletcher had attempted to make a purchase using a stolen check and driver’s license, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.
When officers searched her purse, they found she had an expired Missouri identification card and multiple items belonging to a woman who had died and lived in the 300 block of Case Avenue.
Fletcher later admitted she had entered the home in September and removed multiple items belonging to the dead woman.
• Also indicted was a Jefferson City man charged with one count of felony forgery for attempting to cash a phony check for nearly $2,900.
Michael Hammond, 33, tried to cash the check at Central Bank’s main office on Madison Street in November, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.
The check showed it had been written on Halloween from the account of a Jefferson City business and had the correct information on it.
Hammond told bank employees he had gotten the check for work he had done at the business, but bank employees were suspicious and contacted the business owner, who told them he and his wife were out of state.
When questioned by authorities, Hammond admitted two men had asked him to cash the check and said they would pay him $200 for doing so. He said he didn’t know the men, who had stopped him while he was walking on the street.
Hammond said the two men took a picture of his Missouri ID and sent it via text message to another person. He rode with the men to a hotel on Jefferson Street, where they got the phony check, then drove to the bank.
Hammond said the two men and their vehicle were gone when he left the bank after staff refused to cash the check.
Court records show Hammond had a felony receiving stolen property warrant out for his arrest out of St. Charles County, as well as a warrant out of Pacific for possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Also indicted was a Jefferson City man charged in connection with an assault that occurred July 4; he is now facing a new charge.
Kenneth Findley Jr., 36, has been charged with tampering or attempting to tamper with a victim.
Findley allegedly wrote a letter to a family member in October, asking them to convince the victim in the assault case to drop the charges against him, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement. The letter was sent from the Cole County Jail, where he currently is awaiting court proceeding in the assault case.
Findley was charged with second-degree domestic assault and third-degree domestic assault. He allegedly choked the victim at a Jefferson City residence and told her he would kill her.
Police said Findley made the woman get into a car, and while in the vehicle, he punched her eight to 10 times, striking her in the face, arm, ribs and leg.
The two drove to the 500 block of Hutton Lane. Findley allegedly told the woman to stay inside the vehicle, but she ran when he was out of her sight and sought help from the closest person available. That person contacted police and hid the woman in another vehicle until officers arrived.
Findley then fled the area. In late July, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received a tip he was seen in the Westphalia area riding a bicycle on U.S. 63.
Deputies intercepted him near Missouri 133 and took him into custody without incident.
Findley told authorities he never assaulted the woman, only “brake checked her” while they were in the car, which caused her to hit her face on the dashboard. He also denied choking her or holding her against her will.
Findley has two previous charges for domestic assault, according to court records, with no convictions in either case. He is a known user of narcotics and had been using methamphetamine for several days prior to the July 4 incident.
Court records also show a full order of protection was issued against Findley by the victim in August.