Kimball man arrested for burglary, check forgery

Dakota Lee, 21, of Kimball, was arrested Jan. 14 by police Chief Darren Huff for burglary, and possession of a forged check according to an affidavit received by the Kimball Police Department.

Lee entered the Kimball State Bank last Thursday with a friend, Jordyn Barnes, and requested of teller, Jennifer Provance, to cash a check which she believed to be forged.

Provance told Lee that she was unable to cash the check, but before handing the check back to Lee – she took a photocopy of the check and called Kimball Police when Lee left the bank.

Provance reported her concerns along with the description of the vehicle Lee and Barnes were in, a dark colored Chevy S10.

The check, taken from Jowain and Linda Sherman, was written to Lee and was also presented at the Points West Bank for cash and denied.

Huff questioned the Shermans at their home and was told they did not write a check to the suspect. They also discovered that a small dish of loose change was stolen as well.

The suspects passed Huff at an intersection during his search for the vehicle, with Barnes driving and Lee in the passenger seat as well as a minor passenger in the rear seat of the cab.

Huff initiated a traffic stop in front of the Antique Mall on Walnut, instructed Lee to step out of the vehicle and made the arrest.

Police Captain Andy Bremer assisted the situation, separating and questioning the other two individuals. The minor stated that he was picked up after the incident so his account could be used to cash the check.

Because he did not have enough funds in his account to cover the check they were refused.

Barnes stated that he had taken Lee to his "uncle's" house to get paid for work that he had done for them.

When they arrived at the Sherman residence, Barnes observed Lee enter the home and return with a check that Lee had forged with his uncle's name in the signature section of the check.

When Lee was arrested, he place the forged check under the front seat of the vehicle, which was later retrieved for evidence in the case.

Lee was transported to the Kimball County jail, and detained for second degree forgery, a misdemeanor and felony burglary.