Lyons

BUCKHANNON — A Boone County man faces felony charges in both Barbour and Upshur counties after allegedly trying to cash fraudulent checks at several BC Banks in 2024.

Christian Lee Lyons, 47, of Ashford, is charged with one count of forging/uttering, also known as creation of demand draft without authority, a felony, in both Barbour and Upshur counties.

He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $20,000 surety/cash bond for the charge in Barbour County and a $5,000 surety/cash bond for the charge in Upshur County.

Lyons is also being held on a separate charge of receiving or transferring stolen goods in Jackson County on a $2,500 surety/cash bond. He was booked on June 10.

According to the criminal complaint, filed with the Barbour County Magistrate Court by Patrolman Lars Gould with the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, on Nov. 7, 2024, Gould responded to the BC Bank in Philippi in regard to a fraudulent check.

Gould spoke with the bank’s supervisor, who explained that, earlier in the day, an employee had dealt with a “Christian Lyons,” the complaint states. Lyons allegedly cashed a check from Anchor Works LLC in Clarksburg in the amount of $3,855.17.

It was not until after the transaction was complete and Lyons had left the property that the bank employee realized the check was fraudulent, Gould writes.

According to the criminal complaint filed with the Upshur County Magistrate Court by Patrolman Jonathan M. Warner with the Buckhannon Police Department, on the same day, Nov. 7, 2024, Warner responded to a fraudulent complaint at the BC Banks on Northridge Drive in Buckhannon. Though the suspect had already left, Warner was told the bank still wanted to file a report.

Upon arrival, Warner spoke with a bank teller, who informed him that a male subject had “attempted to cash a check that was flagged for an improper authorization,” the complaint states. The teller showed Warner video surveillance footage, and it was later determined that the subject was Lyons, as his name was on the check he allegedly attempted to cash. 

Warner writes that employees at the bank found Lyons’ Facebook and provided Warner with Lyons’ account information. The teller informed Warner that “the same subject” attempted to also cash a fraudulent check at the BC Bank in Fairmont.

The teller stated that Lyons was in the Buckhannon bank for a few minutes before he reportedly became “antsy and in a hurry when (the teller) told him there was an issue with the check,” the complaint states. Lyons allegedly said, “I don’t have time for this,” before leaving with the check. Another teller said she had dealt with Lyons before and gave Warner an identification number that Lyons had provided, which was traced back to Lyons.

According to the complaint, on Nov. 8, Warner contacted the owner of Anchor Works LLC, the business that the false check was addressed from. The owner informed Warner that he did not give Lyons’ permission to cash the check, nor did he even know who Lyons was. The owner said he had a protection plan with BC Bank to where only he and his accountant could allow others to cash checks.

A preliminary hearing for the charge in Upshur County has been scheduled for Monday, June 16 at the Upshur County Magistrate Court, while a preliminary hearing for the charge in Barbour County has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 17 at the Barbour County Magistrate Court.