5 arrested on fraud charges in St. Augustine

Deputies: Women used counterfeit travelers cheques provided by men to purchase items

St. Johns County Sheriff's Office booking photos of (L-R):Channiah Shaw, Dale Ferdinand, Deonna Phelps, Quanashia Jolley and Vontez Wright.

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Deputies say four Jacksonville residents and a resident from New York were arrested Monday afternoon on a charge of scheming to defraud.

The three women -- 18-year-old Channiah Alexei Shaw, 20-year-old Quanashia Jolley and 21-year-old Deonna Denise Phelps -- are charged with purchasing items from numerous stores at the St. Augustine Premium Outlet Mall with counterfeit American Express travelers cheques, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

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Deputies said the two men -- 25-year-old Dale Ferdinand, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and 27-year-old Vontez Leroy Wright -- were charged with providing the checks and driving the women to the mall.

Deputies arrived at the outlet mall in reference to the passing of counterfeit checks at several businesses. Two of the women were found by deputies in the area, while the third was seen leaving with two men in a SUV.

The vehicle and suspects were found a short time later at a WGV convenience store. Deputies said the suspects are charged with purchasing items with the counterfeit $100 checks and receiving cash as change.

Ferdinand, Shaw and Wright were all released after posting $2,500 bond each. Deputies said Phelps and Jolley are still in the St. Johns County Jail on bonds of $10,000 and $1,500 respectively.

Deputies and detectives found more than $900 in cash from the arrestees and recovered at least $1,000 in suspected counterfeit checks. The Sheriff's Office said additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.