Brian Austin Shinkle, 24, Indianapolis
HANCOCK COUNTY — An Indianapolis man who tried to pass fraudulent checks at three different bank locations in the county, and was successful at one of the branches, was caught by officials and is now facing multiple charges in two different cases.
Brian Austin Shinkle, 24, has been charged with a Level 5 felony count of attempt to commit fraud, a Level 5 felony count of fraud and two Level 6 felony counts of forgery from an incident July 31 at the First Merchants Bank, 1810 North State Street, Greenfield and then at the Greenfield Banking Company, 1920 North State Street, Greenfield from a prior date.
In a second case, Shinkle has also been charged with a Level 5 felony count of attempt to commit fraud and a Level 6 felony count of forgery from an incident at the Greenfield Banking Company, 5783 West U.S. 52, New Palestine on July 31.
Both cases against Shinkle were opened in late July in Hancock County Circuit Court. After being arrested Sept. 3, Shinkle made his initial appearance this week in court in front of Judge Scott Sirk. Sirk set a $2,000 cash bond in each of the different cases and ordered Shinkle back in court for a pre-trial hearing in mid-November.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officials from the Greenfield Police Department (GPD) were called to the Merchants Bank July 31 after they were informed a man was inside the branch attempting to cash a fraudulent check. However, the man, later identified as Shinkle, had left the bank before officers arrived.
Officials found Shinkle had attempted to cash a fraudulent written check from One Zone Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $2,677 made out to Shinkle. Officials with the GPD had prior information knowledge form other bank branches of individuals attempting to cash fraudulent checks from One Zone Chamber of Commerce, the report stated.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on the same day, officials from the GPD received word that days earlier a man had been at the Greenfield Banking Company, 1920 North State Street in Greenfield and did cash a fraudulent check from a personal checking account associated with two other people in the amount of $1,950 made out to Shinkle. Officials noted in the report the male was able to complete the transaction. It was later found that the check was never written to Shinkle by the two people who had the checking account.
Officials also found that the same male had also attempted to cash the same fraudulent check at a different Greenfield Banking Company, 51 North Meridian Road, Greenfield prior to being able to do so later. According to the affidavit video footage identified Shinkle as being the same man in all three of those banks.
All of those crimes are associated with the first case. As for the second case, according to a probable cause affidavit against Shinkle where two crimes are charged, on July 31, an officer with the New Palestine Police Department was contacted by the GBC, 5783 West U.S. 52, regarding an individual who had attempted to cash a fraudulent and forged check in the amount of $1,965 from a personal account belonging to two people.
The suspect was identified as Shinkle as officials had sent out word Shinkle had attempted to pass a fraudulent and forged check off at a GBC branch in Greenfield. Officials noted in the report Shinkle became irate with the GBC teller in New Palestine who refused to cash the check and began cursing inside of the bank before leaving.
Officials were able to do the investigative work and identify Shinkle as the suspect. The court ordered his arrest, and he was taken into custody Tuesday.
