A man who allegedly sent a fraudulent business check in an attempt to purchase a foreclosed property in Crawford has been apprehended in Houston. He has since been extradited to McLennan County, where he will face several felony charges.
The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Michael Lawrence Warren following a thorough investigation spanning multiple states. Warren was apprehended and taken into custody on Wednesday, and he is now being held at the McLennan County Jail. The arrest warrant for Warren was issued in McLennan County due to his involvement in forging a $1.8 million business check. In addition to the forgery charge, he is also facing several other felony charges in various states.
In April 2024, the investigation was initiated by the Sheriff’s Office after receiving a report regarding Warren’s alleged fraudulent activity. Acting as a trustee of The SoVo Trust Foundation, Warren attempted to purchase a foreclosed property in Crawford, Texas by sending a fraudulent business check, along with a real estate contract and memorandum, to a local bank. However, it was later discovered that the check was forged. As a result, the local bank promptly notified the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, which led to a thorough investigation. It was determined that Warren had intentionally sent the forged check with the intention of defrauding the bank.
In a joint effort with the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Texas authorities successfully tracked down Warren in Houston, where he had been residing using various false identities. On October 30, 2024, members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force apprehended Warren at a hotel in southwest Houston. When Warren was taken into custody, he was found carrying multiple identification cards and numerous financial accounts registered under different names. A search warrant executed at his hotel room revealed additional evidence, leading to the filing of additional federal charges against Warren. Presently, Warren is being held at the McLennan County Jail, facing charges of first-degree felony forgery involving an amount exceeding $300,000, along with outstanding warrants for violations in multiple states. Federal authorities are conducting further investigations into potential criminal activities linked to the items recovered during the search.
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