A 28-year-old Puyallup woman faces four felony counts of forgery and one felony count of second-degree identity theft after she allegedly forged four checks for a total amount of $830.
Kailiegh A. Ducette was charged in Lewis County Superior Court during a preliminary hearing Wednesday. Bail was set at $25,000. A no-contact order was given to protect the alleged victim.
A probable cause statement outlined the charges against Ducette from the perspective of the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
On Sept. 9, a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a report of fraudulent activity in Pe Ell. The reporting party said that Ducette was living with the party’s mother and had recently forged checks from the mother’s bank account.
Upon arrival at the mother’s residence, the deputy observed a woman with dark hair leaving the area. The deputy then coordinated with a friend of Ducette to set up a meeting with the suspect.
They met at a local cemetery. Ducette arrived wearing what appeared to be wet pants. She was sweating and “breathing heavily,” according to the statement. Ducette indicated she had been living with her grandparents but at some point began living with the reporting party’s mother down the street.
Ducette allegedly admitted to forging four separate checks signed in the mother’s name over the last two weeks. Ducette said she addressed the checks to her friend — the one who helped arrange the meeting — because she did not have an ID that would allow her to cash them. She said her friend did not know the checks were fraudulent.
The deputy later received a copy of the forged checks from the reporting party that verified the stolen dollar amounts — $200, $250, $190 and $190 — along with the dates written. The woman’s mother confirmed she did not give anyone permission to sign the checks.
Ducette was arrested. She allegedly said she stole the money in order to secure her own apartment. According to the state, Ducette has three active warrants from Pierce County for first-degree theft and third-degree theft.
An arraignment was set for Sept. 11, with Don Blair assigned to represent Ducette. She initially pleaded not guilty, though a change of plea hearing and sentencing was subsequently scheduled for Sept. 24.
