DAUGHTER SENTENCED FOR FORGING HER DECEASED MOTHER’S SIGNATURE ON CHECKS

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Gina L. Charles, was sentenced on April 22 by Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge James J. Lombardi to two years of supervised probation, including the special conditions of probation that she complete 100 hours of community service, obtain stress counseling as directed by the Division of Parole and Probation, and pay restitution to the Bank of America in the amount of $10,000. Judge Lombardi imposed what he called a "tough probation" before judgment, but informed Gina Charles that she risked three years of jail time if she failed to comply with the probation conditions. The sentence follows Gina Charles’ guilty pleas and conviction for counterfeiting private documents (checks) and issuing counterfeited checks.

The State investigation revealed that Gina Charles, age 29, of Megan Drive, Clinton, Maryland, counterfeited five checks, made payable to herself, by forging her deceased mother’s signature. The checks, totaling $10,000, were drawn against an account held jointly by Charles’ mother and stepfather, an elderly man living in a senior living community. Raymond Mercer, the Defendant’s stepfather, was not aware of the counterfeiting until he was notified by his bank.

The Defendant’s conviction and sentencing follow an investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Attorney General’s Office and the Maryland State Police. The case was referred to the Criminal Investigations Division by Corporate Security at Bank of America.

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