By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
LARGO — A 37-year-old Largo man told police he was in the midst of a bad drug addiction when he stole checks from his grandmother and cashed them for more than $7,000, according to arrest reports.
Garry A. Marks Jr., of the 1300 block of S Belcher Road, was arrested Tuesday and charged with forgery of checks, uttering forged checks, theft from a person 65 years or older, and violating probation in a case of trafficking in stolen property.
According to arrest reports, Marks stole 28 checks from his grandmother's purse when he visited her in early October. Marks forged the woman's signature and cashed the checks at Bank of America branches throughout Pinellas County between mid October and Nov. 10, the reports show.
In all, he made off with $7,430.
Marks told Largo police investigators that he used the money to buy groceries, cigarettes and prescription medication. He said he was going through a "bad drug addiction, from which he has now recovered," according to one of the reports.
Pinellas court records show that Marks pleaded no contest to dealing in stolen property in November 2009. Adjudication was withheld and he received three years' probation.