Man admits making counterfeit checks

ANCHORAGE (AP) -- An Anchorage man has pleaded guilty in federal court stealing more than $50,000 by making counterfeit checks and passing them at local banks.

Rashad Arnsworth, 24, entered his plea Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Prosecutors say Arnsworth ran his operation from late October into early December of last year, making checks with a face value of more than $70,000 and successfully passing more than $50,000 worth.

Arnsworth obtained account numbers and names from checks he received, then used check-writing software to create the checks. Arnsworth and accomplices would then recruit runners to cash the checks in return for a split of the proceeds.

Arnsworth faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.