Feds indict 3 people accused of defrauding Target stores in Woodbury, Cottage Grove

Indictments were handed down last week against three people federal authorities accused of racking up thousands of dollars in fraud with counterfeit checks around the Twin Cities, including Woodbury and Cottage Grove.

U.S. justice department officials announced through a Monday news release that Ci’ ‘Preaunni Stewart, 21, no known address, and Ryan L. Chambers, unknown age and address, were indicted on 19 counts of bank fraud.

A third person, Jamee Spillman, 38, no known address, is charged with 15 counts of bank fraud in a second indictment.

Federal prosecutors allege the trio “devised a scheme” to get money and merchandise totaling $12,375 through fraudulent means, according to the release. The defendants allegedly passed counterfeit checks at stores – primarily Target locations – to buy merchandise, according to the statement. The suspects told clerks the documents were traveler’s checks, “causing their counterfeit nature to go undetected for several days,” the release states.

In addition to incidents in Woodbury and Cottage Grove, the trio is suspected in incidents at Twin Cities Target store locations including Burnsville, Edina, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Oakdale and Vadnais Heights.

The suspects each face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for each count.

The cases were investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and Minneapolis police. The action is being sponsored by the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, the release states.

Tags: crime and courts, news, crime