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Lee County detective nabs check fraud suspect
Macel Dewain Marlow also goes by alias Larry Dewain Davis.
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BOND, Miss. — A Lee County Sheriff’s Office detective was in the right place and the right time to solve a mystery that has plagued an Arkansas trucking company for 10 years.
Detective Thomas Cole was purchasing fuel for his office vehicle Wednesday when he noticed something amiss at a Mobile on the Run gas station in Bonita Springs. The manager was telling a man that he could not cash a second check — the man was buying two cases of beer. The manager told the man, “I think this is a big scam,” according to an arrest report.
The report says the man left the store and got into a Ford Escort. Cole followed the man and stopped him from leaving because his vehicle had faulty equipment — a bad bumper.
The man told Cole his name was Larry Davis, 46, but he didn’t have a driver license on him. He also told the detective the license was from Tennessee. A records check showed “Davis” did not exist.
At that point, the manager came out of the store and told Cole he believed the man had “just passed him a fraudulent check” and had been in the store about 30 minutes earlier, cashing another check, both from J and B Trucking in Arkansas, according to the arrest report.
Cole found several “Comp Data” checks on the man and a Florida driver license for “Louis St. Laurent” and more checks in the man’s vehicle.
The detective called the trucking company and spoke with a fraud investigator who said the man “had been committing check fraud against their company for approximately 10 years and used several aliases to commit the crimes and they were never able to locate the subject,” the report says.
Cole called the Sheriff’s Office economic crimes unit and the man was taken in for questioning.
He allegedly told detectives he lied about his name because he had numerous warrants for his arrest in Tampa for check fraud.
He told detectives his name was Macel Dewain Marlow, 47, and he had “several aliases throughout the country and has been in prison in approximately 10 states for several crimes,” according to the report.
Cole did a criminal history check and found the man has about 50 aliases throughout the country and has an extensive criminal history.
On August 18, he was arrested for possession of an illegal open container and giving a false name to law enforcement after an arrest by the Fort Myers Police Department. He was booked into Lee County jail by the name of Larry Dewain Davis and released August 22.
Cole notified Lee County pre-trial release authorities and asked for a hold to be placed until the Sheriff’s Office could determine whether he was wanted for any other crimes under the numerous aliases.
Marlow was arrested Wednesday on complaints of fraud and grand theft.
In Hillsboro County, the man has at least 18 aliases, including “Mary Marlow,” computerized records show. He also has been arrested in Polk, Lake and Pasco counties.
E-mail Valli Finney at vallimfinney@yahoo.com
Comments
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Yeah, he really looks like he needs some beer... right after he spends some MORE quality time in jail... again.
Same old stuff, different day.
#1 Posted by jim09091 on August 28, 2008 at 11:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn.
#2 Posted by volochine on August 29, 2008 at 12:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"In Hillsboro County, the man has at least 18 aliases, including “Mary Marlow”!!
We should not rush to judgement against this individual.
We don't yet know all the facts.
I hope this is not a case of entrapment???
#3 Posted by R_Popoff on August 29, 2008 at 5:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have to have a reason to stop the subject Lou. Even if it's such a simple thing as a "bad bumper"...
Aren't you glad Johnny Hancock here is off the street?
#4 Posted by Jadip811 on August 29, 2008 at 5:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
R_Popoff and Lavandalou...you are both morons. A case of entrapment? Bumper charade? Are you kidding me? You guys are clueless. I'm sure you'll spew some garbage response back. It's obvious that neither of you support law enforcement. This was called "good police work." In reading the article there appears to be nothing which would implicate otherwise. You two will always find wrongs with the police even when it's done by the book.
#5 Posted by Analytical_Skeptic on August 29, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The detective only needed reasonable suspicion that Joe Dirt had just committed a crime to stop him. Great police work!!
#6 Posted by youwilltapout on August 29, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the stop did not turn up anything the guy would of been sent on his way with no problems. But he was a problem, so probable cause for the stop.
#7 Posted by suntan on August 29, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great work Detetive Cole, thank you for using your instincts and paying attention.
#7 Lavendalou, do you work for paul2t, are you his legal secretary? Your always defending the criminals and their rights, just like paul2t.
I dont care if the Detective stopped him just for being ugly, this low life is off the streets.
#8 Posted by sock_puppet on August 29, 2008 at 8:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Is he related to Danny Bonaduce???
#9 Posted by sock_puppet on August 29, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Im Going to say this and probably upset a few people but It needs to be said. American Rights are sacred. Men and women have given their lives to protect our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. IN plain our way of life. So when someone questions certain tastics I applaude them. Not everyone who questions things is just a cop hater. I would say they are a True American looking out for everyones rights. The end dosent always justify the means.
#10 Posted by n7lima on August 29, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hear you n7lima. Cops just cannot go around randomly pulling people over on a hunch or because they look a certain way. Sounds more like the officer thought this guy looked rough and decided to make up an excuse to check him out. In the end his hunch scored him a lucky hit, but what if the guy had been clean would the bad bumper excuse have flown or gotten him a complaint for harassment?
#11 Posted by americanpie on August 29, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Man....innocent until proven guilty is what we all have at our side.
GREAT JOB COPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAKE THIS DIRT BAG IN AND JUDGE HIM!!!! WHEN "FINALLY" found guilty, throw him the book.
These lowlifes need off our streets, & if it takes a humiliating hour of anybody's life, it should be PROCEEDURE WELL FOLLOWED & "APPRECIATED" for ALL AMERICANS!!!!!
COPS ARE HERE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES!!!!
Probable cause????
TAKE ME IN, IF I'm not guilty, I'm NOT going to whine or sue, just 'cause a GREAT POLICE OFFICER decided to use his resources to find that out.
JOB WELL DONE OFFICER!!!!
#12 Posted by orange469 on August 29, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
& another thing, all u people who think this was unjust....
U have something to hide
or
just don't appreciate our AMERICAN WAY OF DOING THINGS!!!!!!!!!!
SO PACK UP & GO TO A 3rd WORLD COUNTRY THANT might APPRECIATE WHAT U HAVE TO OPINIONATE ON!!!!!
#13 Posted by orange469 on August 29, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OPINIONATE? ROFLMFAO...What a loch step little robot.
#14 Posted by americanpie on August 29, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No Probable Cause Does Not Scare Me. As A Concealed Weapons Permit Holder I've Been Handcuffed A Few Times, With That Being Said, We All As Citizens When We Encounter Law Enforcement One Thing To Keep In Mind Is We All Have Our Day In A Court Of Law. And The Right To Be Judged By A Court Of OUR PEERS. Keep Up The Good Work CCSO And LCSO
#15 Posted by wrangler4515 on August 29, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A "little probable cause " is like being a little pregnant. No such thing.
A defective bumper, violating the State's DMV regulations DOES CONSTITUTE a legitimate reason to stop. The "gentleman's" lack of ability to produce a driver's license in the name he gave the officer constituted legitimate "probable cause" to suspect a crime more serious than the bumper was being committed, to wit, driving without a license. This , in turn, justifies a search pursuant to an arrest.
Get it now, jailhouse lawyers?
#16 Posted by stepetroni on August 29, 2008 at 6:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LavandaLou...maybe I was reading a different article but where did it say he had a scratch on his bumper? He was stopped for faulty equipment, which happened to be a bad bumper. This could have been anywhere from dragging on the ground to not being properly secured. You may want to visit the d/l office for a remedial class.
Stepetroni...very well said. Hopefully it will sink in on the others!
#17 Posted by Analytical_Skeptic on August 29, 2008 at 9:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was stopped once as a minor for having no bumper by FHP years and years ago. If a cop sees an infraction or improper equipment he can pull you over and then go from there.
Stepetroni is couldn't have put it any better. A "little probable cause " is like being a little pregnant. No such thing!
You either did or you didn't , you either have it or you don't.
#18 Posted by Jadip811 on August 29, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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