Turner Grain Merchandising Inc. co-owner Jason Coleman was charged Thursday with felonies in connection to $1.2 million worth of hot checks.
Turner Grain’s other co-owner, Dale Bartlett of Marvelle, also has been charged with one felony count of writing a hot check in connection with one of the checks that Coleman also allegedly signed that Turner Grain issued for $401,900, according to the arrest warrants released by the Arkansas State Police.
Reached on his cell phone, Bartlett, 48, told Arkansas Business Friday afternoon that the check was forged, but he couldn’t comment further because he was at the Brinkley Police Department.
Coleman, 42, of Greenbrier, is facing six felony hot check counts and one felony count of theft of property by deception.
The arrest warrants say that the hot checks were issued by Turner Grain but there wasn’t enough money in the accounts to cover them. The checks ranged in value from $4,300 to $401,900.
In August 2014, Turner Grain of Brinkley closed after it was discovered that farmers weren’t being paid for crops they sold to Turner Grain. The company filed for bankruptcy protection and listed $13.7 million in assets. Its claims register shows $39.7 million in debts, millions of which are owed to farmers who sold crops to Turner Grain.
In January, Monroe County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Baxter Sharp III asked the Arkansas State Police to investigate allegations that millions of dollars worth of hot checks had been issued to farmers within his district, according to the affidavit for the arrest warrant.
Special Agent Joe Pickett said in the affidavit that he found that the checks in question bear “the authorized signature of Jason Coleman.” He also said that Bartlett’s signature appears on the check he allegedly wrote.
Bartlett and Coleman face up to 20 years in prison on each of the hot check charges. One of Coleman’s hot check charges is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of up to six years in prison. Coleman’s theft of property charge carries a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison.
A phone number wasn’t listed for Coleman and he couldn’t be reached for comment. His attorney in other Turner Grain related lawsuits, Lisa Ballard of North Little Rock, wasn’t immediately available for comment Friday.