Elijah Meason

By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

A 28-year-old Los Alamos man has been charged with forgery and fraud after he allegedly took a check without the victim’s knowledge and used it to make a purchase at Smith’s Marketplace.

Elijah Meason was arrested April 21 by Los Alamos Police Department Det. Ryan Wolking following a recorded interview during which Meason allegedly admitted to the crimes.

According to police records, Cpl. David Boe met with Smith’s loss prevention manager and the victim April 24. The victim allegedly told Boe that Meason had told her he would pay her back when he received his income tax return and she told Meason that she was going to press charges against him because she had enough of him stealing her money.

A statement by the loss prevention manager alleges she observed Meason purchasing a “high-dollar Lego set” at a check out terminal using a single check. She said she recognized Meason from an earlier shoplifting incident. She said it seemed odd that he only had a single check rather than a checkbook.

After Meason completed his transaction, she retrieved the check from the cashier and saw that it belonged to the victim. While attempting to contact the victim regarding the check, she said she observed Meason returning the Lego set at the customer service booth for cash.

Meason had his first appearance before Magistrate Court Judge Pat Casados April 28 and his preliminary hearing is set for June 1.