The District Attorney’s Office is giving hot check writers the opportunity to pay up and stay out of jail.
“This is similar to a program we have run the last few years with good results said District Attorney Redman,” in a news release. “With the beginning of a new year, our office wants to afford people with bad checks an opportunity to begin the year with a clean slate.”
Redman pointed out the success of the past year. In 2010 the district attorney’s restitution programs restored $737,241.00 to victims of crimes across the three county district.
Hundreds of letters have been sent out to hot check writers from all three counties in the district offering them the opportunity come in and get their hot checks taken care of without fear of arrest.
Operation Clean Slate will run this year through March 31.
During the clean slate period, pending and existing bogus check warrants will be withdrawn and cases dismissed upon full payment of restitution, fees and court costs, provided that the check writer has no other pending criminal matters in the office for prosecution.
The bogus check program is a restitution and diversion program.
“Our goal is to secure restitution for victims of hot check offenders and at the same time divert them from overcrowded jails and court dockets,” Redman said. “Our success depends a lot on the offenders being willing to work with us to resolve the problem without moving it to the level of prosecution.”
Redman is hopeful that many will take advantage of the opportunity this clean slate period provides and avoid being picked up by DA’s investigators at their homes, schools, or places of employment.
The district attorney’s office maintains a website at: http://www.district19da.com/index.php
Everyone is invited to go to that website and see a list of persons with outstanding arrest warrants for hot checks. The staff welcomes calls from the public with information on any of the people on this list.
The investigative staff for Redman’s office will continue to focus on apprehension of those bogus check offenders who continue to ignore their obligations in regard to hot checks and court ordered restitution.
The DA’s office wants to remind merchants to be vigilant in checking IDs when accepting checks and make note of the information provided by customers. If the transaction goes bad, having this information in hand when you turn the check over to the bogus check program can expedite our collection efforts. Forms for turning in checks for collection are available at the DA’s office 117 N. 3rd in Durant and on the website.
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