By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – Two LaPlace men recently told authorities they issued checks to themselves from an employer’s checkbook and cashed the checks at two LaPlace banks and a convenience store.

Javon Marrio Johnson, 20, of 417 Marvin Garden and Leslie August, 25, of 409 Marvin Garden stole the checks from a pickup truck they were driving, which belonged to their boss, said Public Information Officer Sgt. Dane Clement with the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office.

Clement said Johnson cashed two of the checks at Hibernia National Bank, 811 Paul Maillard, Luling and two checks at Hibernia National Bank, 1200 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace. He said August cashed one check at the Min Hui Mart, 601 Main Street, LaPlace.

The banks cashed all four checks, after Johnson provided the banks with

Louisiana identification and a thumbprint, Clement said. He said surveillance cameras, inside the LaPlace bank, videotaped transactions made by Johnson.

Clement said the four checks cashed by Johnson totaled $1,410.64, while the check cashed by August was worth $585. He said the checks were allegedly stolen prior to Nov. 10 and all five checks were allegedly cashed between Nov. 10 and Nov. 19.

The victim’s bank notified him on Nov. 19, to report there were non-sufficient funds in his checking account.

After the man informed the bank the checks were stolen, he immediately called the Sheriff’s office to report the incident.

Clement said the men stole checks from the back of the checkbook, hoping their employer would not notice them missing.

Both men were booked into the Sherman Walker Correctional Center on Dec. 6. Johnson is charged with four counts of theft by fraud, for more than $500, and four counts of forgery.

August is charged with one count of theft by fraud, for more than $500, and one count of forgery.

Judge Mary Hotard Becnel set Johnson’s bond at $20,000 and August’s bond at $5,000.