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MILL CREEK -- A Kentucky man is facing felony charges in Randolph County after allegedly using his brother’s information in a fraudulent check scheme to steal more than $4,000 from a West Virginia resident.
Preston H. Biggs, 30, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, is charged with one count of fraudulent schemes and one count of possession of counterfeit or unauthorized access device with intent to defraud, both felonies. Biggs was being held on a $4,069 cash-only bond that has since been posted.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Trooper Thomas J. Sclimenti with the Elkins Detachment of the West Virginia State Police, on Dec. 20, Sclimenti returned a call to a resident in Mill Creek in reference to fraudulent bank activity.
The alleged victim told Sclimenti that he is vision-impaired and his mother assisted with his banking, but someone had cashed a check from his savings account that he had never issued, the complaint states. Sclimenti spoke to the alleged victim’s mother, who said that someone had taken $4,069 from the account and that she had a copy of the check that the bank had provided. After receiving an emailed copy of the check, Sclimenti reportedly observed the name on the check to be Patrick Biggs. Sclimenti could not locate information on this subject.
The text on the check appeared to be in computer font rather than hand-written, the complaint states. The reason for the payment was listed as “roofing renovation” and the check was dated for Nov. 28. It was deposited to Ally Bank on Dec. 1 and the transaction appeared on the alleged victim’s account on Dec. 3.
On March 23, Sclimenti was informed by a witness about how to access the detailed account holder information, the complaint states. Sclimenti was reportedly able to connect to Patrick Biggs’ full name, Operator’s License Number (OLN), home address in Kentucky, date of birth and the last four digits of his social security number to the account that cashed the check. The only transaction to this account was $4,069, the amount of the fraudulent check.
The money was withdrawn into an outside account on Dec. 22. The account was opened on Dec. 1 and closed on Feb. 11, according to the complaint. Documentation confirmed an email allegedly used by and associated with Patrick Biggs and his brother Preston Biggs, as well as another individual. That email reportedly received corresponding communications from Ally bank matching the activity on the bank account.
Sclimenti obtained a warrant for Patrick Biggs’ arrest, the complaint states. However, upon Patrick Biggs being booked in Kentucky, Detective Gordon Turner informed Sclimenti that Patrick Biggs “looks nothing” like his OLN photo. Turner provided Patrick Biggs’ booking photo, in which Sclimenti writes that Patrick Biggs had a straight nose and blue eyes, where his OLN photo showed brown eyes. Patrick Biggs reportedly informed the arresting officers in Kentucky that he’s never had a Kentucky OLN. The arresting officers also informed Sclimenti that Patrick Biggs appeared to have a mental disability.
According to the complaint, Sclimenti observed the OLN photo for Patrick Biggs and his brother, Preston Biggs, to be “obviously apparent to be the same person with a (different) haircut.” Sclimenti said Preston Bigg’s Tennessee OLN lists him as having brown eyes.
Preston Biggs was arraigned in Randolph County on Monday.