Farm hand charged with stealing, forging checks

Dennis Glenn Dale, 30, of Theodosia, is being held on a $950 cash-only bond in connection with a forgery reported last month. 

According to the probable cause statement, prepared by former Ozark County Sheriff’s Sgt. Seth Miller, at 12:16 p.m. Dec. 16, 2024, a man came into the sheriff’s department to report that his checks had been stolen, and someone had forged his signature, writing several checks at area businesses without his consent. 

The man provided bank records and photocopies of three checks written to Dennis Dale:

• one for $150 on Dec. 11, 2024; 

• one for $150, cashed at a local grocery store on Dec. 7, 2024;

• one for $650 cashed Nov. 29, 2024, at a local bank;

The total of the checks amounted to $950. 

The report says that the victim did not sign the checks, did not authorize the man to complete the transactions or permit him to be in possession of the checks. The victim said he notified his financial institution to cancel any further checks, and that the charges were fraudulent. 

Miller asked Dale if he knew the victim, and he reportedly said he did, as he had been hired to work on his farm for a short while. He said he did not pay him with checks. 

The officer noted that Dale had access to the residence and vehicle where the checks were kept. 

The victim desired prosecution.

Dale is charged with four class D felonies: three of forgery and one of stealing. He was arrested Jan. 27, on the $950 cash-only bond and has been held in jail since. He is scheduled to appear before Associate Judge Raymond Gross at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 11. Public defender Chase Opolka has filed his appearance as his attorney.