Three Florida residents arrested after a string of thefts in Utah County

AMERICAN FORK — Three Florida residents were arrested in American Fork on Thursday following an extensive fraud investigation by American Fork police.

The investigation began on Feb. 6, when police were called about a “theft in progress using counterfeit $100 bills,” according to a statement from the American Fork Police Department.

Jerry Garrett, 33, Reginald Flowers, 32, and Armond Willis, who did not have a police affidavit filed, were arrested on a string of charges relating to forgery, fraud, and possession of a controlled substance.

According to a police affidavit, all three men were located on Thursday after being contacted by a loss prevention agent, who recognized the men from their previous attempts to purchase items with counterfeit money and then return it, resulting in the stores losing money.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on the group’s vehicle, resulting in Willis and Flowers being searched, yielding “multiple counterfeit $100 bills,” as well as marijuana and stolen items which “were confirmed by the (store representative) as purchased with counterfeit money … amounting to $3,993.79,” according to the affidavit.

Garrett was then located inside the store, where he resisted arrest, and officers located counterfeit money on him, as well as marijuana, the document states.

All three of the men were from Florida, with “no known ties to the state,” according to the document.

Garrett is booked into the Utah County Jail, charged with the following:

• failure to stop at police command, a class A misdemeanor;
• forgery, a third-degree felony;
• interference with a peace officer, a class B misdemeanor;
• two counts of pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony;
• ten counts of possession of forgery writing or device, a third-degree felony;
• possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor;
• two counts of theft with a value of $500-$1,499, a class A misdemeanor;
• theft or receiving stolen property with a value between $1,500 and $4,999, a third-degree felony.

Flowers is booked into the Utah County Jail, charged with the following:

• two counts of pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony;
• five counts of possession of forgery writing or a device, a third-degree felony;
• possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor;
• theft with a value between $1,500 and $4,999, a third-degree felony; and
• theft with a value under $500, a class B misdemeanor.

Police affidavits and booking information could not be located for Armond Willis.