exploreJeffersonPA.com

Punxsy Man Faces Hearing Tomorrow for Allegedly Scamming Local Business

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man who is facing criminal charges for allegedly scamming a local business with a fake gaming slip is due in court on Tuesday.

Court documents indicate 37-year-old Shawn Michael Frye is scheduled to stand for a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 20.

Frye faces the following charges:

– Theft by Deception – False Impression, Misdemeanor 1
– Theft by Unlawful Taking – Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1

The charges stem from an investigation into a fake gaming slip passed to an area business.

According to a criminal complaint, around 11:50 a.m. on February 1, a known business owner reported that Shawn Frye passed a fake gaming slip for $300.00.

The business owner told police she was called by an employee around 2:00 p.m. on January 25 stating that Shawn Frye was at her business with a payslip from the slot machine for $300.00. The employee was told to have Frye sign the slip and to pay him the $300.00.

According to the complaint, the business owner later discovered that the slip was fraudulent. She then checked the cameras, which showed Frye at the machine on January 25, around 6:45 a.m., and showed that the machine did print a pay ticket.

According to the complaint, the ticket history for the date and time Frye claimed he won $300.00 indicated that Frye printed a payout slip valued at $1.00.

Charges were filed against Frye on Wednesday, July 17, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office.