Full Disclosure Time: I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what this was all about! And I think it’s high time for an explanation. I was charged with “obtaining money by false pretenses” or, in layman’s terms “ripping off a convenience store.” Today I finally went to court and, thankfully, within about three minutes everything was sorted out and all charges were entirely dropped. But why was I charged with this in the first place? Here’s the answer:
As a freelance artist I get checks from a variety of clients. Not everyone updates their records with new addresses (especially for semi-nomadic Hatkes). Well, recently a check for some illustrations was sent to a very old address -a house we moved away from two years ago. It took me awhile to realize that the check had gone missing but when I did I called the client and had them cancel the check and send a new check to my current address (thankfully there were records of all of this).
Unfortunately, before the check was cancelled someone signed the back with my name and cashed it at a gas station convenience store. Apparently it was one of the “conveniences” that this particular store offers is that they don’t check ID. When the convenience store went to bring the check to the bank it had been cancelled. So they sent me a letter asking me to pony up the stolen money (with some added fees).
I didn’t. So I got arrested.
My friend, Three-Chord Phil, has written an entertaining post on his blog that might or might not be a true account of this fiasco with the names of those involved changed. Hmmm.....
