Three Arrested In Burglary, Forgery Scheme

Three people have been charged with several crimes related to a burglary and an attempt to cash a forged check, according to Natrona County Circuit Court records.

Anna Hartley, Boe Nichols and Crystal Guseman made their initial appearances in circuit court on Thursday and on Oct. 16.

Hartley's bond was set at $15,000, Nichols' bond was set at $10,000, and Guseman's bond was set at $25,000.

Because their charges are felonies, they will have preliminary hearings within a couple of weeks to determine whether probable cause exists to bind them over to district court for trial.

The case began on Oct. 15 when the Check Cashing Center on Center Street notified police about someone trying to cash a suspicious check.

A woman had endorsed the check and told a clerk at the business she was cashing the check -- signed by another man -- for friends who did not have identification.

The clerk told her the friends -- Hartley and Nichols -- needed to come into the business. They gave the clerk a phone number of the man who ostensibly signed the check. The clerk called that number, an unidentified woman answered and said she did not know the man.

The three left. The woman called the Check Cashing Center. She said she thought the check was obtained unlawfully and she would cooperate with an investigation.

A detective called the man who ostensibly wrote the check, and he said a friend was house-sitting for him and no one else had permission to enter his house.

The woman who tried to cash the check told the detective she didn't know where the check came from and she was just trying to help Hartley, but she suspected it wasn't legitimate.

The man told police that he bought a table from Guseman, and that's probably how she and Hartley knew where he lived and that he was out of town.

Hartley later told police she was Guseman's sister, and the two entered the man's house. They stole food, tools chocolate and detergent. Guseman also was looking for anti-anxiety medication. Guseman found a spare key to one of the man's vehicles and she broke into his car. They also took one check from a box of paperwork.

The day before the alleged burglary, Guseman, Nichols and Hartley were talking about how they could find money because they were in danger of losing their residence. That's when Guseman told the others she had the check, but neither she nor Nichols and Hartley wanted to cash it.

That's when Hartley suggested the woman may help them try to cash the check.