Writing a hot check can lead to a person being arrested in Wichita Falls at their job or anywhere else and being locked up in the Wichita County Jail or even sent to prison in some cases.
Wichita County District Attorney Maureen Shelton recently initiated a program which provides those who have written hot checks the chance to pay off what they owe and avoid arrest and prosecution.
DA Shelton said Wichita Falls and the surrounding county businesses lose not only money, but also valuable time because of the writing of hot checks to them.
Originally, a deadline of October 31 was given to hot check writers to pay off their debts by DA Shelton to avoid arrest.
A press release issue by the District Attorney's Office said that "those who fail to take care of their hot checks by that date will face arrest at work, home or anywhere else law enforcement locates them."
The release further itemized other costs to those who refuse to pay off their hot checks including , "In addition to the embarassment of getting arrested, people caught in the roundup will likely have to pay a bondsman to get out of jail, and will have to pay court costs."
Shelton said this week that the hot check roundup has been very successful so far.
About $40,000 has been raised as of this week so far as a result of the full court press put on by the DA's office against hot check writers.
Although the Oct. 31 deadline has passed people who have written hot checks can still avoid the embarassment of being handcuffed and hauled away to jail by law enforcement officials by contacting Josh Mariano, head of hot checks, at the District Attorney's Office.
Mariano can be contacted between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 766-8120 to make arrangements.
Mariano said that the roundup is now an ongoing process. Although warrants have now been issued for the arrest of hot check writers they still have a way of avoiding the discomfort of sitting in a depressing jail cell during Thanksgiving and Christmas and facing vigorous prosecution.
The head of hot checks said, "So if you know you owe on hot checks, you need to come see me in the District Attorney's Office to make arrangements to pay off your check and get your warrant cancelled."
So far during the Roundup approximately 18 hot check writers have been arrested in Wichita, Wilbarger, Clay, Archer, Montague, Bastrop and Collin counties.
Hot check writers will find it difficult to evade the long arm of the Hot Check Roundup.
DA Shelton said the goal was to collect restitution for local merchants. She expressed her gratitude to the Wichita County Sheriff's Office led by Sheriff David Duke and other local law enforcement agencies for their assistance in serving the hot check warrants.
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