(Stillwater) — An Oklahoma City man who is accused of passing a $175 forged check on his then-girlfriend’s account at Bank of the West in Cushing was arraigned Friday in Payne County District Court.
Ryan Kevin Westfall, 26, was arrested last week on charges of second-degree forgery in connection with his ex-girlfriend’s bank account and also passing bogus checks on his own closed bank account.
He appeared in court without an attorney on both felony charges and was allowed to remain free on $10,000 bond pending his return to court on March 19.
His ex-girlfriend, Angela Christine-Foster, reported to Cushing police in January that Westfall had forged six of her checks, according to an affidavit by Cushing Police Detective Adam Harp.
The detective had spoken to her about the forged checks in October 2009, the affidavit said. “At that time she was undecided if she wanted to make a police report due to the fact that they were still in a dating relationship,” the affidavit said.
She said that in September 2009, she checked her balance and noticed that money was missing from her account, the affidavit said.
She said that she went online and noticed six forged checks that she believed Westfall took from her checkbook and forged her signature, the affidavit alleged.
They were for $200 on Aug. 31 at the bank’s Edmond office, $175 on Sept. 4 at the bank’s Cushing office, $175 on Sept. 4 at the bank’s Cushing office, $240 on Sept. 7 at the bank’s Cushing office, $325 on Sept. 3 to a Cushing business, and $180 on Sept. 2 at the bank’s Cushing office, the affidavit alleged.
“Angela said that shortly after she noticed the checks missing and forged that she asked Westfall about them and he admitted that he forged the checks and needed the money for a co-pay for his daughter’s medical or he would go to jail. Angela said that Westfall agreed to pay the money back, which he has not,” the affidavit alleged.
“I asked Angela why she decided to file a report now and she said that she somehow felt responsible and did not want to get him in more trouble than he was already in,” the affidavit said.
When the detective interviewed Westfall by phone in January, “Westfall admitted to taking and forging the six checks,” the affidavit alleged.
Westfall said that he took the money to pay co-payments at a drug and alcohol treatment center and used it for other things, the affidavit alleged.
“Westfall said that he has spoken with Angela and has agreed when he gets his tax return to pay her the money back,” the affidavit alleged.
In a separate charge of passing two or more bogus checks exceeding $1,000, Westfall is also alleged to have passed a $234 bogus check on Sept. 15 to Sears, a $153 bogus check on Sept. 15 to Sears, a $511 bogus check on Sept. 16 to Kinnunen Sales and Rentals, and a $445 bogus check on Sept. 17 to Kinnunen Sales and Rentals, all in Stillwater.
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