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ELKINS -- A Randolph County man is facing a forgery charge after allegedly cashing an already deposited check.
Richard Allan Manuel, known as "Opie," 53, is charged with one count of forging or uttering other writing, a felony. He is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $2,500 cash-only bond set by Randolph County Magistrate Benjamin Shepler.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Sergeant K. Shiflett with the Elkins Police Department, on May 26, Shiflett was dispatched to Papa Johns on Davis Avenue in reference to a fraudulent check.
Upon arrival, Shiflett spoke with the owner of the store, who advised that his accountant had notified him of a pay roll check that been cashed twice, the complaint states. The check was dated Oct. 6, 2025, was made out to Darren Snyder and was originally electronically deposited. Snyder passed away on April 1, 2026.
On April 21, the same check was once against deposited into an account allegedly belonging to Manuel. On the endorsement the check has the original signature of Snyder, and under the endorsement it allegedly said “pay to the order of Richard A. Manuel” along with the signature, the complaint states. The owner provided Shiflett with a copy of both checks that were deposited.
Manuel has a history of being charged with criminal activity in Randolph County.
In February 2025, Manuel was charged with one count of threats of terrorist acts, a felony, after the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by former Elkins Police Chief Travis Bennett in regard to Manuel “making threats to kill him, Mayor Jerry Marco, and shoot up Tygart Valley Regional Jail.”
During a hearing for this charge in Randolph County Magistrate Court in June 2025, Manuel agreed to plead guilty or no contest to two counts of obstructing law-enforcement, probation, parole, court security, corrections officer with threats of harm, both misdemeanors.
Prior to the plea, in May 2025, Manuel appeared before Randolph County Circuit Court Judge David Wilmoth for a status hearing regarding a competency evaluation that was previously requested for Manuel. The results of the evaluation showed that Manuel was “competent and criminally responsible” for his actions, Wilmoth said.
In April 2023, Manuel was charged with felony destruction of property after allegedly throwing a rock through the front glass doors of the Tygart Valley Regional Jail in broad daylight, causing damage.
Later, in November 2023, Manuel was charged with petit larceny and obstructing an officer after allegedly stealing a bicycle from the Elkins Wal-Mart and fleeing from police.