SHARE

Alleged Check Forger Arraigned In Cortlandt, Charged With 27 Felonies

OSSINING, N.Y. -- A 24-year-old Ossining resident has been charged with being a prolific check forger by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

Devante Rainey was charged with 27 felonies for allegedly being a prolific check forger.

Devante Rainey was charged with 27 felonies for allegedly being a prolific check forger.

Photo Credit: Westchester County District Attorney's Office

Devante Rainey, who lives on Snowden Avenue, was arraigned Monday on a 27-count complaint. 

The District Attorney's Office said it had been investigating Rainey for two years. They said Rainey purchases photographs of co-defendants payroll checks and then uses routing numbers and checking account numbers on those checks to create forged checks using small business software.

Rainey then deposited the checks via mobile deposit into co-conspirators bank accounts, making the fraudulent activity one step removed from him, according to the district attorney's office. He used fictitious payor names and addresses on the checks to further mislead law enforcement, according to the D.A.'s office.

A search warrant was executed in March and forensic analysis of phones and computers revealed fraudulent activity. A search warrant was also executed on Rainey's Facebook page that recovered additional evidence.

Rainey was charged with 16 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree (a Class D felony); two counts of identity theft in the first degree (a Class D felony); two counts of attempted grand larceny in the third Degree (a Class D felony), two counts of assuming another's identity (a Class D felony); one count of criminal possession of a forgery device (a Class D felony); one count of scheme to defraud in the first degree (a Class E felony); one count of tampering with physical evidence (a Class E felony); one count of grand larceny in the fourth degree (a Class E felony); and one count of identity theft in the second Degree ( a Class E felony).

Rainey was arraigned in Ossining on July 12 and in Cortlandt Town Court on July 18 where he pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to Westchester County Jail and his next court date is July 26.

Rainey faces up to seven years in state prison.

to follow Daily Voice Cortlandt and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE