NILES Alert bank workers honored

Tellers recognized the suspect from security bulletins.
By AMY HOUSLEY
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Workers at the McKinley Branch of National City Bank were honored Friday for their part in the apprehension of four men who were indicted in a fraudulent check-cashing scheme.
Tom Hollern, president for National City Bank North East, commended Georgan Cornicelli, assistant vice president and branch manager, and the branch's staff for their part in the case.
Tellers recognized Larry Copeland, who came into the branch May 24, from alerts they had received.
The tellers, whose full names are not being used for security purposes, said that once they recognized Copeland, they kept him in the bank by telling him that they needed to get more money out of a vault, which they were having trouble opening.
Copeland left the branch, then later returned to see if his money had become available. In the meantime, authorities had been notified and the tellers had copied down the suspect's license plate number. Police made arrests that day.
Capt. Chuck Wilson of the Niles Police Department said the arrests "put a bigger piece of the puzzle together."
Joint investigation
The FBI said the men involved in the case used sophisticated fake checks and realistic-looking IDs to cash the checks. They would have two forms of fake ID for verification if asked.
The effort to break the check-cashing scheme, which was ongoing for more than a year, was a joint investigation by the FBI, the Niles Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police, and other local police in areas where the checks were cashed.
Banks from the Akron and Youngstown areas, as well as from the Pittsburgh area, were targeted.
John Kane, supervisory senior resident agent for the Youngstown office of the FBI, said the case was "an excellent example of law enforcement agencies working together."
The bank tellers were presented with awards from the Department of Justice, presented by Kane, and also by NCB.
On Thursday, a federal grand jury handed up indictments against the four men, charging them with bank fraud. They are Copeland and Elijah Underwood, both of Youngstown, and Wickie Tutt Jr. and Brian Hilliard, both of Struthers.
All four were arrested last month and all but Hilliard remain in custody. Hilliard was released on home confinement. The indictment says Tutt produced counterfeit checks, which were received and cashed by Copeland and Underwood.
The charge against Hilliard also alleges that he participated by driving Copeland to various banks to cash the counterfeit checks.
If convicted, the men could face maximum penalties of 30 years in prison and a $1 milllion fine.
ahousley@vindy.com