By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A second Forrest City Police Officer has been arrested in an eight-state counterfeit check forging scam.
Christopher McGill, 28, 1101 Whitaker St., #H-1, Forrest City, was charged Friday afternoon with first-degree forgery, a Class B felony. He is currently only charged with one count of forgery, but could face several other counts as the investigation develops, according to Arkansas State Police Investigator Dale Arnold. McGill was freed Friday on a $30,000 bond.
On Saturday, McGill's brother, David Fitzgerald McGill, 31, of Wynne, was also charged with first-degree forgery involving the same incidents. He is free on a $10,000 bond.
Arnold said the scam at this point dates back as far as August of last year and involves about 59 checks for amounts totaling over $300,000. Although some amounts on the checks differ, Arnold said most checks are for $4,945.36.
The McGill brothers join a list of six others arrested during the past week for the scam involving State Farm claim checks.
The first FCPD officer arrested in the case was Lucius A. Carroll, 26, of Cotton Plant. He was arrested Tuesday on first-degree forgery and is also free on a $30,000 bond.
"Unless we get more checks, there will be five counts against everyone who has been arrested so far as co-conspirators. However, there could be 59 separate counts involving several other states," Arnold said.
FC Police Chief Clarence McNeary said McGill, who had been with the department about three years, resigned from his job with the FCPD after his arrest Friday. He was also a police officer in Madison. Carroll also resigned from his job as a patrolman following his arrest.
"I think I made the statement in the first article that came out that if there's any officer here guilty then we don't need them, Forrest City doesn't need them and the citizens don't need them," McNeary said. "I believe as far as the police department is concerned, this should be it. That might just be my hopes, but I think we should be finished (with the arrests)."
In addition to the Arkansas investigation, Arnold said police in Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Florida and Mississippi are investigating similar cases "involving a lot of people."
According to Arnold, the checks are being printed on a computer and cashed at local banks. "If you have the computer, you can pretty well do what you want to," he said.
Arnold said once his investigation is complete, he would contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Secret Service regarding what action could be taken on a federal level.
Linda Garlock, a spokesperson with the State Farm Headquarters in Bloomington, Ill., said this morning company officials could not comment regarding the case because it is an ongoing investigation.
Other arrests are also expected locally, Arnold added.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
As many people mark the sixth month anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, many local families are also remembering loved ones who are currently on a peacekeeping mission in Egypt.
In January, several members of Arkansas Army National Guard, Company C, along with several other Arkansas Guard units, were deployed to Sinai, Egypt, as part of a Multinational Force and Observers group. Forces have been stationed in Sinai since the 1979 Peace Treaty between Israel and Egypt. Guard members originally left Forrest City in October for training at Fort Carson in Colorado.
The wives of Company C members who were deployed are currently attempting to rally public support behind the soldiers, who they say are needing as much support as possible.
"Being away from their families has been really hard on some of them, and it would be nice if the community was to really get behind them and show them some support," said Sherrie Hankins, whose husband is deployed in Sinai.
"We just want to remind everyone that we have local people, that we have 40 men there from Company C and they need to be reminded that people here remember what they're doing," Hankins said.
According to Kimberly Clark, a member of a group of wives who have formed a support group, an effort is under way that will give Forrest City business owners and individuals the opportunity to show their support through a ribbon drive.
"We're considering getting a ribbon drive started so that people can show their support by purchasing ribbons and putting them on storefronts and on trees in front yards. This has been hard on a number of the families, because they lost a source of income on top of losing a husband and father when everyone was deployed. There have been instances where we as wives have had to do what we could to help a couple of the families, and we just really want to get the word out that any community support is appreciated," Clark said.
The wives of Company C meet the first Thursday of each month at the National Guard Armory on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive at 6 p.m.
St. Francis County had an unemployment rate of 9.8 percent in January. That was up more than a percentage point from the 8.3 percent recorded in December, but also more than a percentage point lower than the 11.2 percent of the previous January.
The rate placed St. Francis County at number 18 among Arkansas' 75 counties in unemployment.
According to the figures from the Arkansas Employment Security Department, during January, St. Francis County had a civilian labor force of 11,750, with 10,600 working and 1,150 not working.
The highest unemployment rate was 14 percent in Mississippi County. Sixteen counties had unemployment rats of 10 percent or higher. The lowest January unemployment rate was 2.5 percent, recorded in Washington County. Eighteen counties had unemployment rates of 5 percent or lower.
January rates in surrounding counties included: Cross, 8 percent; Crittenden, 6.5 percent; Lee, 11 percent; Phillips, 12.8 percent; Monroe, 10.4 percent; and Woodruff, 11.2 percent.
Yearly averages were also released for 2001. St. Francis County had an average unemployment of 8.9 percent for the year. The county's highest unemployment was recorded in January, at 11.2 percent. St. Francis County's lowest unemployment was 6.7 percent, recorded in October.
Unemployment averages in other counties included: Cross, 7.5 percent; Crittenden, 5.9 percent; Lee, 9.4 percent; Phillips, 10.2 percent; Monroe, 7.4 percent; and Woodruff, 7.9 percent.
Statewide, the unemployment average was 5.1 percent for 2001. The state's highest month for unemployment was January, with 5.9 percent. Three months -- April, September and November -- all tied for the lowest rate, at 4.7 percent.
A Marianna woman reported Friday that she had been the victim of a "pigeon drop" scam in Forrest City.
According to the report by the Forrest City Police Department, Faye Herndon, 67, of Marianna reported that she had just gotten out of her car in the parking lot at Wal-Mart, when she was approached by a woman who identified herself as "Tracy."
"Tracy" showed Herndon a bag which appeared to contain money and asked what she should do with it. At about that time, another woman reportedly pulled up in an automobile and got out. This woman identified herself as "Kimberly," and said she was a bonded messenger for a local bank. She said there was $90,000 in the bag, and they should talk to her boss to see what to do with it.
"Tracy" allegedly said there was a note inside the bag in a code that only gamblers use, so the money wouldn't be taxed. She allegedly told Herndon that her boss needed $16,000 so he could copy the money and give it back to her.
At that time, all three women reportedly went to the ATM at Union Planters, where Herndon withdrew $300. They then went to Forrest City Bank were Mrs. Herndon withdrew $5,000. Next they went to Union Planters, where Mrs. Herndon withdrew $3,000.
All this money was given to "Tracy," who then allegedly told Herndon that her boss wasn't in and that she needed to come back so all three women could work out the paperwork. Mrs. Herndon was taken back to her vehicle in the Wal-Mart parking lot, and told to meet at Union Planters at a certain time.
Herndon showed up at the bank, but "Tracy" and "Kimberly" did not.
Car buyers accustomed to purchasing vehicles from Flippo Motors in Forrest City will now get the same service from a new ownership group.
Flippo Motors, now Steve Jones Chevrolet, was recently purchased by West Memphis native Steve Jones. Jones, who has been in automobile sales since 1979, is taking his first venture into the realm of new car sales, Jones also owns Steve Jones Used Cars in West Memphis.
"This is the first time that I've owned a new car dealership, but we promise to provide people with the same courteous service that they are used to," said Jones.
According to Jones, the line of vehicles available at the dealership will remain the same. They are currently selling Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac, Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile products.
A St. Francis County couple was robbed of more than $500 in their home last Thursday night, according to the sheriff's department.
Agusta Bowers, of 1437 SFC 365, reported that a suspect allegedly kicked open the door to the house where she and her husband, Lonnie Bowers, live.
The person struck Mrs. Bowers and forced Mrs. Bowers to the floor, and then stole a set of keys and a billfold with about $520 in it, before running out the front door.