Mississippi man facing 24 felony charges in Wisconsin after deputies find 100+ stolen checks at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport

Indiana Schilz
·3 min read
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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) – Following an investigation by Wisconsin authorities, a 25-year-old Mississippi man has been charged with 24 felony crimes in connection to a fraud conspiracy.

According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Demarte D. Winters allegedly used stolen identification and forged documents and dealt stolen property.

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Per a criminal complaint filed on Friday by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, the operation began to unravel on Friday, March 15, when a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s deputy assigned to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport was sent to deal with Winters, who was attempting to pass through a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint with a fake Mississippi driver’s license.

Winters fled the area when a TSA officer determined the driver’s license was illegitimate, but the responding deputy tracked him down in another terminal.

After being tracked down, Winters gave the deputy conflicting answers to questions about the ID card and his own identity before being taken into custody for further investigation for obstructing and violating adherence to airport security ordinances.

Further investigations confirmed Winters’s identity and revealed that he was wanted in Richland County, Louisiana, for aggravated flight, reckless operation, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Additionally, Winters was wanted in Madison County, Texas, for counterfeit checks and possession of a stolen gun.

A search of Winters’ backpack at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport revealed 155 blank checks written for different amounts and bearing different individuals’ names, along with a debit card that did not belong to him.

Detectives then traced the fake driver’s license number to a real license holder in Mississippi, who hadn’t realized her license number had been stolen.

Among Winters’ victims were several people over the age of 70 and another over the age of 65, whose checks, which they had placed in mailboxes in Milwaukee County, were located in Winters’ backpack.

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In total, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office says the alleged stolen checks were written for more than $243,000. Winters had reportedly successfully cashed 13 checks for nearly $92,000.

Court records show that Winters faces the following charges:

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

  • Forgery-Uttering

  • Receiving Stolen Property (>$10,000)

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Fraud Against Financial Institution (Value Exceeds $100,000)

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Money Laundering-Knowingly Receives/Acquires Proceeds (over $100,000)

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Theft-Movable Property >$100,000

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

  • Misappropriate ID Info – Obtain Money

    • Conspiracy to Commit

All 24 charges carry combined potential penalties of up to 170 years in prison and fines of up to $325,000, or both.

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“Kudos to the alert TSA agent who first noticed Winters’ fake ID card, to the responding deputy sheriff, and to the MCSO detectives who investigated and developed evidence that led to Winters’ charging,” said officials with the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

Winters is expected to return to court on May 15 for a preliminary hearing. His cash bond has been set at $50,000.

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