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PD: 1 arrested, 2 wanted in alleged check fraud ring

Police looking for suspects pictured below
WCPO_ShammonRichard_KarenBSmith.jpg
Posted at 12:36 PM, Sep 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-02 14:43:04-04

CINCINNATI — Police arrested a suspect and are looking for two other suspects in an alleged check fraud ring, Cincinnati police said Monday.

Police arrested DeMarlo Harris, 29, on Thursday. Harris is accused of being a member of the ring, which stole over $1 million from Fifth Third Bank through money laundering, telecommunications fraud, theft and forgery.

Police are still looking for Shammon Richard, 21, and Karen B. Smith, 27. Richard is 5'11'' and 175 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He is known to frequent Mt. Healthy, Sharonville and West Chester. Smith is 5'7'' and 175 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She is known to frequent Silverton and Deer Park.

A grand jury in June indicted Harris, Richard and DeShay Melton, 25, on multiple counts of theft, telecommunications fraud and money laundering. Authorities arrested Melton on July 26, according to court documents.

Authorities arrested the suspected leader of the alleged check fraud ring, 26-year-old Vernon Johnson, on June 24.

According to a news release, Johnson conducted forgery and theft offenses throughout the Greater Cincinnati area and Indiana. Police said Johnson had been targeting Fifth Third Bank locations, Jack Casino, Belterra Park and Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg.

According to the indictment documents, the defendants allegedly defrauded Fifth Third Bank of more than $1 million and defrauded Jack Casino out of thousands of dollars.