Man Accused of Stealing Account Numbers and Forging Checks Arraigned

A man accused of stealing dozens of account numbers from Wells Fargo bank and using those numbers to cash thousands of dollars in forged checks was arraigned before a federal magistrate yesterday in Lubbock.

Ashley Jerome Carter faces 18 counts of conspiracy to forge private security instruments.

According to the U.S. Marshal's office, Carter obtained the account numbers from his girlfriend, Juqueita Chiles. She has claimed that she gathered the account information for Carter under threat of being beaten.

The girlfriend was not originally charged last month but she was indicted, along with Carter, on the conspiracy charges last week.