A 32-year-old Yucca Valley man was sentenced in a Massachusetts court Tuesday for forging checks from UMass Amherst. According to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office, Andrew Wakewood pleaded guilty to a dozen felony counts of larceny over $250. The DA said Wakewood stole over $15,000 from the Newman Catholic Center at UMass in early 2015. Carey said he forged 12 checks, which he got from a previous business transaction with the center. Wakewood was indicted by a grand jury in December, arrested and extradited to Massachusetts; he has been held without bail at the Hampshire Jail. “The Amherst Police Department went to great lengths to investigate this case, including sending its lead detective to track down the defendant in the deserts of California,” said Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne, who prosecuted the case. Andrew Wakewood was sentenced by Judge Richard Carey to 64 days in jail, with credit for time served, placed on probation for 4 years, and ordered to pay $15,788 in restitution.
Photo: Rebecca Everett, Masslive.com
