Craig Michael Worm, 36, Cologne, is facing two counts of felony theft after allegedly using checks from a closed account to purchase two vehicles and a camper valued at over $90,000.
An investigator with the Morrison County Sheriff’s Department was called out to a business near Little Falls May 23, to investigate a bad check used to buy a $26,000 camper.
Worm allegedly came to the business May 19 and agreed to purchase the vehicle and used a check to make a down payment of $1,000.
Then, Worm returned May 22 and used another check to pay the remaining amount.
When the owner took the checks to his bank, the bank allegedly informed him the checks were from a closed account and confirmed that with the bank the checks were from in Norwood Young America.
The Morrison County Sheriff’s Department also received a report of Worm purchasing vehicles from another business in the area using bad checks, the criminal complaint said.
Worm allegedly purchased a $37,000 jeep for his girlfriend, May 13. The purchase agreement was in his girlfriend’s name, but he wrote out the check from the closed account, the criminal complaint said.
Worm also allegedly purchased an almost $28,000 SUV from the business May 20 using a bad check.
Worm was located allegedly driving the SUV in Crosby and was arrested by Crow Wing County officials, while the SUV was seized.
The other vehicles were located in Ironton and were seized.
At the Morrison County Jail, Worm allegedly told officers he had closed his account at the bank in Norwood Young America in 2015, but denied intentionally using the checks from the closed account and said he must have done so by accident.
If convicted of both charges Worm faces up to 40 years in prison and/or $200,000 in fines.