Two incidents at a Red Apple in New Berlin in May led to three arrests on Wednesday, and more are possible, police said.
Amy M. Jefferson, 26, and Tasha A. Rolland, 28, both of Rome, were charged with the following, police said: first-degree scheming to defraud and fourth-degree grand larceny, both class E felonies; fifth-degree conspiracy, a class A misdemeanor; and five counts of issuing a bad check, a class B misdemeanor. They were being held in Chenango County jail on $3,000 bail.
Elise K. Geary, 19, of Rome, was charged with second-degree scheming to defraud, fifth-degree conspiracy, fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of issuing a bad check and two counts of petit larceny, a class A misdemeanor, police said. She was being held on $1,000 bail, deputies said.
They were part of a group of women that came to the local convenience store on May 18 and May 20 and convinced a new employee to accept their checks, police said.
An investigation with the Rome police found they had been buying items, such as cigarettes, for resale in other areas for years and were looking to branch into this area, police said.
At least one more arrest is expected, police said.
