- 1 day ago
An 18-year-old named Serenity walked into a Regions Bank branch in Sarasota, Florida and tried to cash a $743 check made out in somebody else's name. On the surface it looked routine. She had an account. She had ID. She had a story. But the moment she stepped up to that counter — the bank already knew who she was.
Because she had done the exact same thing at a different branch earlier that same day with a completely different forged check for the exact same $743 amount. Branch manager Lisa had already fired off an alert to every nearby location. When Serenity showed up — staff did not process her transaction. They smiled, told her it would take a few minutes, and quietly called the police while keeping her standing at the counter long enough for officers to arrive. She had no idea she was already caught before she even opened her mouth.
This was not a teenager acting alone. This was a coordinated fraud ring with a very specific playbook. Someone deposits real cash — around $900 — into a legitimate bank account. That creates a real available balance. Then they get forged checks made payable to themselves from completely different people. They split up and hit 3 or 4 branches in a single day — one person at each location trying to cash a different check. If a teller does not catch it, they immediately pull the original $900 deposit from a different location and disappear. The bank is left with a bounced forged check and zero money to recover. Corporate security told officers — same handwriting every time, same unusual dollar amounts, same pattern.
Serenity was not alone. Someone came in with her — a person she later referred to only as "Dope Boy." The moment that person spotted police walking through the door — they turned around, walked out, got into a car sitting in the middle of Route 41, and drove away. Serenity was left standing at the counter alone. While she was still inside being questioned, someone connected to the group went to a completely separate location and drained the $900 cash deposit out of the account entirely. The scheme worked perfectly for everyone in that car. It just did not work for Serenity.
Officer Miller called the woman whose name was on the check — Sharon — directly by phone. Sharon confirmed she had never met Serenity, never written her a check, and had already reported suspicious activity on her account in November. That phone call took the situation from suspicion to confirmed fraud. Serenity was under arrest.
Then they searched her purse. A loaded firearm — with one round already in the chamber. A separate loose bullet fell onto the floor. Serenity's immediate reaction — "it's not mine" — then — "what's in my purse" — which the officer noted out loud meant she already knew something was in there. Officers ran the serial number. The result turned one felony into three in under two minutes — the serial number had been deliberately filed off. Uttering a forged instrument. Carrying a concealed firearm. Possession of a
Because she had done the exact same thing at a different branch earlier that same day with a completely different forged check for the exact same $743 amount. Branch manager Lisa had already fired off an alert to every nearby location. When Serenity showed up — staff did not process her transaction. They smiled, told her it would take a few minutes, and quietly called the police while keeping her standing at the counter long enough for officers to arrive. She had no idea she was already caught before she even opened her mouth.
This was not a teenager acting alone. This was a coordinated fraud ring with a very specific playbook. Someone deposits real cash — around $900 — into a legitimate bank account. That creates a real available balance. Then they get forged checks made payable to themselves from completely different people. They split up and hit 3 or 4 branches in a single day — one person at each location trying to cash a different check. If a teller does not catch it, they immediately pull the original $900 deposit from a different location and disappear. The bank is left with a bounced forged check and zero money to recover. Corporate security told officers — same handwriting every time, same unusual dollar amounts, same pattern.
Serenity was not alone. Someone came in with her — a person she later referred to only as "Dope Boy." The moment that person spotted police walking through the door — they turned around, walked out, got into a car sitting in the middle of Route 41, and drove away. Serenity was left standing at the counter alone. While she was still inside being questioned, someone connected to the group went to a completely separate location and drained the $900 cash deposit out of the account entirely. The scheme worked perfectly for everyone in that car. It just did not work for Serenity.
Officer Miller called the woman whose name was on the check — Sharon — directly by phone. Sharon confirmed she had never met Serenity, never written her a check, and had already reported suspicious activity on her account in November. That phone call took the situation from suspicion to confirmed fraud. Serenity was under arrest.
Then they searched her purse. A loaded firearm — with one round already in the chamber. A separate loose bullet fell onto the floor. Serenity's immediate reaction — "it's not mine" — then — "what's in my purse" — which the officer noted out loud meant she already knew something was in there. Officers ran the serial number. The result turned one felony into three in under two minutes — the serial number had been deliberately filed off. Uttering a forged instrument. Carrying a concealed firearm. Possession of a
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WebcamTranscript
00:00So, all right, so you don't know hers and you never wrote her a check.
00:04Let's stay up.
00:17An 18-year-old girl named Serenity walked into a region's bank branch in Sarasota, Florida
00:22and tried to cash a $743 check made out in somebody else's name.
00:27On the surface, it looked like a routine transaction.
00:30She had an account.
00:31She had ID.
00:32She had a story.
00:33But the moment she stepped up to that counter, the bank already knew who she was.
00:38Because she had done the exact same thing at the Cortez Road branch earlier that same day
00:42with a completely different forged check for the same $743 amount.
00:57Yeah.
00:58I'm assuming to the car.
01:00I'm sorry, is there a problem?
01:01Yeah.
01:02Where'd she go?
01:03Hey.
01:04What's the issue?
01:06Well, she just left without you.
01:08Where'd she go?
01:08She went back to...
01:09I'm actually supposed to be leaving now because I had to go pick up my nephew.
01:14But what's going on?
01:15Okay.
01:16Where'd she go to?
01:17I just said to the car, sir, what is going on again?
01:20She got in a car in the middle of the road.
01:23I'm sorry, in the middle of the road?
01:25Yeah, when she saw me, saw me, she ran out of here.
01:28Okay.
01:29So they left me?
01:31Yeah.
01:32What's your name?
01:32Serenity?
01:33Serenity.
01:34Okay.
01:35So, Jim Milford, I told him to call me.
01:37He's our corporate security.
01:39Okay.
01:39So the other day, we've had a very small...
01:42We get through similar situations all the time where it's kind of like what happens is
01:46they get these fraudulent checks, they put enough money in the account,
01:49they try to cash the check against it, and then they appear fraudulent.
01:54So we had one the other day that came in yesterday.
01:57Was it the same group?
01:59A different group.
02:00I imagine it's like the same probably the same group.
02:03At your branch.
02:05What is that?
02:05At your branch.
02:06Yeah, there was another girl here yesterday, and she went to Golfgate.
02:11She left here, she went to Golfgate, and they called the police.
02:14So now she's here.
02:16We have information from another branch that said that she was there.
02:20And what's going to happen is they have a bunch of different checks.
02:23So I don't know about this one specifically, but it's usually like the same thing.
02:26Officer Miller of the Sarasota Police Department called the woman whose name was on the check.
02:31A woman named Sharon, directly by phone.
02:35Sharon confirmed she had never met Serenity, never written her a check for any amount,
02:41did not know who she was, and had already reported suspicious activity on her account back in November.
02:48That phone call took the situation from a suspicion to a confirmed fraud.
02:53Lisa?
02:55Oh, hey, okay.
02:56Did you verify the other one was fraud on that check?
03:01Yes.
03:04So you have to have money in an account for them to cash another bank's check.
03:09Well, that money...
03:10Was it a different check or was it more?
03:12Whoever ran out, they're suspecting, probably went and got that $900 out of their account.
03:18So because she said they knew we'd confiscate it.
03:21This check is 6107?
03:22Go ahead.
03:259954% check, sorority, state of risk, has a valid class B operator, inspire 7430.
03:33So the person who this check is, they went to the bank and took that money on the check?
03:38Excuse me?
03:43No, no, I got you, but she's here, so we call the police.
03:48The police are here, they want to know, how do we know it's confirmed fraud?
03:51Here, I've got another completely different check than what you have.
03:53I got 605.
03:55And she was with somebody, they jumped in a car, and they just removed the money from some of the
03:59location.
04:00I don't know where they are.
04:01Yeah, Gulfgate, Cortez, here.
04:04Right.
04:05I just want to sit down, I kind of want to confirm that I did this, and then I can
04:10question it.
04:11Because if this woman goes, yeah, I wrote her a check, then we can't, no?
04:13I know.
04:13No, and that's what I wanted to, yeah.
04:16Well, that's good, because I have a different one, but they just want us to, you know, we have to
04:20verify this fraud.
04:21I mean, there's some of those courts that are still early, we weren't, we weren't, we weren't, we weren't here.
04:23I have to verify this fraud, so I'm trying to redraw my answer to this thing.
04:26At the very least, we have all information, how all that goes.
04:28Right.
04:31Good job.
04:33Okay, so she, she did the same thing based on an email from the other branch, so she's
04:38been to three different branches, so she said she just managed to get the check.
04:43Okay.
04:43So she's going to call and try to verify that, I mean, we see it all the time.
04:48Okay.
04:48I know you need to verify that it's fraud.
04:50Right.
04:51Yeah, I can't.
04:52So she's going to do that on that one, and I'm going to do that on this one.
04:55Okay.
04:56Serenity was under arrest.
04:58Then they searched her purse.
05:00A loaded firearm was sitting inside the bag, with one round already in the chamber.
05:05So, all right, so you don't know her, and you never wrote her a check, is that correct?
05:10Okay.
05:11Cover you, you can sit her out at the bank, kind of.
05:13Let's sit up on her.
05:15Turn around.
05:43I'm going to assume you know what's going on.
05:44I'm going to read you, uh, your Miranda rights real quick.
05:51It's not mine.
05:52Okay, go on.
05:53What's mine?
05:55What's in my purse?
05:56I'm sorry to say it over again.
05:58Having these rights in mind, do you wish to talk to us?
06:01No.
06:02I would like to have, like, a chicken with my throat or something with me.
06:09How old are you?
06:10Dinky.
06:11Okay, you're an adult.
06:12I know.
06:13Okay.
06:19I have a sister-in-law that works at a directorial facility.
06:25Mm-hmm.
06:25I would like to get a contact with her.
06:29Well, here's what's going to happen.
06:31You're going to be going to jail today, okay?
06:33I'm sorry.
06:34Regarding what's going on here, if you'd like to talk.
06:42Do you want to explain to her what you're being charged with?
06:47Uh, you're being charged with uttering a forged instrument.
06:52So, this check right here does not belong to you and was not written to you, correct?
06:58Well, obviously...
06:59Okay, well, that's what you're being charged with.
07:01Okay?
07:02I'm going to be charged with a gun because they put a gun in my purse.
07:07What?
07:08Holy shit, they did.
07:11Yep, they did.
07:17Do you want to tell us about this?
07:20I think I was set up.
07:22You were set up?
07:24I don't know.
07:26I'm just going wrong.
07:28Okay, I'm going to make a phone call.
07:30Yeah.
07:31Oh, my God.
07:37Yep.
07:39Can we please call somebody?
07:43Hey, a bullet just fell down there.
07:46You want to grab that for me?
07:48Yep.
07:49Okay, so you wanted a lawyer.
07:52You didn't want to speak.
07:53So now, we're not asking you any questions, okay?
07:58Well, what questions are you going to ask me?
08:00I can't ask them because you already determined you did not want to speak to us.
08:05No, I don't want this to happen like this.
08:08Well, this is happening at this point.
08:09I can tell you what.
08:10Okay, but you want to ask me about this?
08:12So at this point, so I'll tell you.
08:15Please don't talk to me like this.
08:16I'm not a bad kid.
08:18Okay.
08:18Okay, first of all, you're a young woman now.
08:21You're not a kid at all.
08:22Yes, sir.
08:23I understand.
08:24Okay.
08:25Please.
08:25We spoke to...
08:27We spoke to...
08:28No, no.
08:29No, don't ask questions.
08:30I'm not...
08:31Do you want to get a piece of paper off that desk?
08:33Please do.
08:34I apologize.
08:35This just escalated.
08:44Yes, sir.
08:45I've never heard of you.
08:46Okay.
08:47I've never heard of you.
08:48Certainly didn't write you a check.
08:50Okay.
08:51So you're being charged with that.
08:53I understand.
08:54Okay.
08:56Do you have a concealed weapons permit?
08:58I do not.
08:58Okay.
08:59So now you're being charged with carrying a concealed firearm.
09:02I understand.
09:03Okay.
09:04By any chance are you a convicted felon?
09:07No.
09:07Okay.
09:08Well then you won't be charged with that.
09:11Those are the two charges you're looking for.
09:14What about possession of a firearm bearing the commission of a felon?
09:17That's what it's like.
09:18That's what it's like.
09:18I don't like.
09:19So you've got CCW firing.
09:21So you're trying to add charges on.
09:23You're going to have like five felony murders.
09:24Why are you trying to make it work?
09:26Hold on.
09:26You've got uttering, concealed firearms.
09:29This is not my fault.
09:32I don't know.
09:32I'll look it up.
09:33I'm committing a felony with a firearm.
09:37I'm committing a felony with a firearm.
09:37I'm committing a felony with a firearm.
09:38Bro, how?
09:40I don't know.
09:40She didn't have, I mean.
09:41We'll look it up.
09:42I think it's merely possessing it while committing.
09:44Because she's not using it.
09:45It wasn't used.
09:47You know, it wasn't part of that.
09:49So there's no.
09:51Well, what are we waiting on then?
09:52He's calling CID and we can probably go ahead and load it up.
09:55Yeah.
09:56I can't.
09:56I can't run this.
09:57I was going to try to run it.
10:00I can't.
10:01I have a question.
10:0361.
10:05So being that I've never been in a civilian before.
10:09And this, since I know I'm doing it, so I take responsibility for it.
10:14But even like, the gun is crazy.
10:17Like, this is not fair because I have nothing to do with that.
10:21And yeah, I'll take responsibility.
10:24But like, there's no way I can get out of it because it was in my purse.
10:29Listen, at some point someone's going to question you, okay?
10:32Of course.
10:32If you don't want to talk to us right now, that's just fine.
10:35I can talk.
10:37Like, what do you want me to tell you?
10:39You didn't want to talk.
10:40I want to talk.
10:42I didn't know, like, this was going to happen.
10:45This is crazy.
10:46Like, I'm only 18.
10:49The law takes us very seriously.
10:51When we read you, Miranda, and you say you don't want to speak until you have a lawyer,
10:55we're pretty much hands off.
10:57I didn't mean with a lawyer, but like, with somebody, I'm very vulnerable.
11:02Like, I've never, like, I just don't know what to do.
11:06Okay.
11:09So, are you saying that you do not want to lawyer you and you do want to speak to us?
11:16But like, what does speaking to you mean?
11:19Explaining your side of this.
11:21Of course I do.
11:23I will speak to you and say my side because I deserve that.
11:27Okay.
11:28Your exact words when I held this purse was, it's not mine.
11:33Yes.
11:33I said, what is it, I said, what's not yours?
11:38You said, what's in that purse?
11:40That indicates to me you knew what was in that purse.
11:43Yes, sir.
11:44Okay.
11:44I'm not going to ask you questions, but if you want to tell me a story, go ahead.
11:50No, it's not a story.
11:51I'm saying it is in my purse.
11:54Okay.
11:54Okay.
11:54I knew it was in my purse, but like, I wasn't using it.
11:59I was just...
11:59No, you weren't.
12:00And I'm not accusing you of using it.
12:01I know, but like, they had just clicked in my purse for a second.
12:07They...
12:10They...
12:11They...
12:12What?
12:12Okay.
12:14Um, what's our stance?
12:15Are we...
12:16We're ready to roll.
12:16Are we talking now, or...
12:18Well, she does not want to have an attorney.
12:21Okay.
12:21She wants to tell us her side of it.
12:23I mean, I still want an attorney, but I'll talk, obviously.
12:27Like, I don't...
12:28You have no obligation to do so.
12:30If you talk to us now, you are doing it on your own free will.
12:33Of course.
12:34Okay.
12:35But you suggest, like...
12:37Do you think I should have a lawyer?
12:40We don't give legal advice.
12:42I don't know what to do.
12:44Well, listen.
12:45Again, you are an adult.
12:47I think you know what's going on here.
12:50Like Officer Miller explained, you have no obligation to talk to us.
12:53I can read you your Miranda warning again.
12:55I understand my...
12:56If you'd like to talk to us, you can.
12:59When will I get a lawyer?
13:01Until I go to court, right?
13:03You...
13:04You will go to...
13:04No.
13:06I'll talk.
13:07Okay.
13:07Alright.
13:08I...
13:09I'm gonna start off with some basic, easy questions, okay?
13:13Um...
13:13You are...
13:14You're 18 years old.
13:15Is this your correct address here in Brooksville?
13:18No, not anymore.
13:20No, that was my old foster home.
13:23What is your address?
13:25Um...
13:25I don't...
13:26I just moved there.
13:27It's in Wildwood.
13:28Um...
13:29Um...
13:29It's like 32nd place...
13:31Something...
13:32It's...
13:32It's right next to the villages.
13:34My brother Shane Thomas lives there.
13:37And his wife...
13:38It is what he's gonna call...
13:40Thomas.
13:43Is that who lives here with you today?
13:45No.
13:48They...
13:49They...
13:49They...
13:49I became like homeless when I got out of foster care and they took me in and I just recently
13:55moved with...
13:56With your brother in the cult?
13:58Yes.
13:59Okay.
14:02Alright.
14:03So who...
14:03Who...
14:04Who...
14:05Who came in here today when I was...
14:07When I was coming in and they were walking out?
14:09Who was that?
14:09That was my friend.
14:11What's her name?
14:12They call her Dope Boy.
14:15I don't know her full name.
14:17Is she from uh...
14:19Is she from up north in Wildwood also?
14:22No.
14:23Give us more than Dope Boy.
14:24You have part of a name.
14:25Give us part of a name.
14:27No.
14:27Dope Boy.
14:29That's a...
14:29That's a nickname.
14:30Yeah.
14:31That's what they...
14:31That's what everybody calls her.
14:33I know we know that but...
14:34Is it...
14:35Brittany?
14:36You got her first name?
14:37No.
14:38This check...
14:40Where'd you get this check from?
14:43Her...
14:44Cousin.
14:46Her cousin?
14:47Mm-hmm.
14:48Okay.
14:50And...
14:51You got...
14:52You were the one that volunteered to come in and...
14:55Pass the check?
14:58Okay.
15:00And you knew that...
15:01This was a...
15:02Stolen check?
15:04No.
15:06No.
15:06How did...
15:06Do you know how they got the check?
15:08No.
15:09Um...
15:10They said that it was like a legit...
15:13Legit job.
15:14A legit job?
15:16A legit check but it wasn't...
15:18Obviously.
15:20Obviously.
15:21But obviously it wasn't legit.
15:23You did know that, right?
15:25I didn't know it was like this.
15:29I didn't know it was broad.
15:32Can I ask...
15:33Yeah.
15:33Yeah.
15:34Yeah.
15:34Do you know Sharon...
15:35No.
15:36Did you do any work for Sharon Sharon?
15:38No.
15:39Did you sell Sharon...
15:41An item?
15:42No.
15:44So...
15:44How is it that she came...
15:46To pay you $605?
15:52I'm so sorry.
16:02Um...
16:02Are we all good here?
16:03I will handle it.
16:04Well...
16:05Uh...
16:05This...
16:06There's no cash.
16:07There's no wallet.
16:09Is there a wallet?
16:12That you had your ID in here.
16:14Right?
16:15Okay.
16:16So this...
16:17I think can go with her...
16:20To the jail.
16:21Okay.
16:21There's no medication.
16:23Say...
16:24Who has your phone?
16:24The others?
16:26Okay.
16:27Okay.
16:28Okay.
16:29It's the only...
16:30I don't know what he's talking about.
16:34Like...
16:34Is there a way...
16:36When you go to jail...
16:37I can keep doing names...
16:39And you can find a number...
16:41And the system...
16:42Okay.
16:43Well this is how this works.
16:44If you want me to reach out to somebody...
16:47And you're willing to give me their name...
16:49Maybe you should think a little harder about the three people...
16:52Who are in the car...
16:53So I can't make a phone call?
16:55Oh no.
16:55With the jail you can make all the phone calls you want.
16:58Well that's what I'm talking about.
16:59Okay.
16:59I'm asking if like...
17:00If I give them a name...
17:02And they can look up a phone number.
17:03I don't think...
17:04I don't know.
17:05Maybe you can ask them.
17:06I know if you had a phone...
17:07They'd let you go through your own phone.
17:09So like...
17:09If I can't...
17:10Come up with anybody's love breakfast...
17:13And be...
17:14Sitting in dinner with my buddy knowing?
17:17Well...
17:17Then you'll go to first appearance tomorrow.
17:19Tomorrow.
17:20And you'll probably be given a bond.
17:21What if people do s*** to me in jail?
17:25I don't know.
17:26With two...
17:27Listen.
17:28Corrections officers are professionals.
17:30They're there to protect...
17:31My...
17:31...prisoners from each other and from the...
17:32My sister-in-law works at a correctional officer and she...
17:36Do you know her phone number?
17:38No.
17:39Who...
17:39Who is this young lady?
17:41Oh, you know what?
17:42My sister.
17:42That's your sister.
17:43That's my blood sister.
17:47Oh, you guys...
17:48One case number?
17:49You guys...
17:50My sister's thing in there so you guys can go first.
17:53524.
17:54524.
17:54Right?
17:55What?
17:55You have my sister's work right here so you guys can call her, right?
17:59Well, we're not...
18:00Yeah, once you...
18:01When you get to the jail, you can call her.
18:04Okay.
18:08You ready?
18:09Yeah.
18:10She was charged with forgery, carrying a concealed firearm, and possession of an altered firearm.
18:17She was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 50 hours of community service.
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