By Joe Bachman

A 22-year-old man faces charges of forgery after intentionally falsifying checks.

Justin Braze, of Wisconsin Rapids, is charged with two counts of forgery and theft. According to police reports on Jun. 3, 2015 an officer was dispatched to 300 block of 11th St. North regarding a missing checkbook. Braze had initially been in the house a day eariler with the complainant and was suspected of stealing the checkbook.

The complainant’s bank suspected fraud on his account when a check was made payable in the amount of $600 to Justin Braze using a stolen check.

On Jun. 2, 2015, video surveillance shows that Braze used the $600 check to open an account at another bank and then received $100 cash back. Six days later, the bank recognized it as a fraudulent check and returned it.

Braze also was reported to have written a check in the amount of $50 out of the same checkbook to pay someone else an owed debt. The check was eventually flagged as forged.

If convicted, Braze faces up to a combined 12 years imprisonment and up to $20,000 in fines. He also faces two unrelated charges of disorderly conduct. His pre-trial conference is scheduled for Jul. 1.