Iraq War Veteran Pleads Guilty To BogusCheck Scheme

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - (11/04/05) -- An Army reservist who served in Iraqin 2003 pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing credit union checksand using the account numbers to make counterfeit checks. SheldonStewart, 27, of East Liberty, faces up to five years in prison forhis role in the scheme, which netted as much as $70,000. Stewartwas working as a security guard in the Alcoa Corp. building when hewould steal checks arriving in the building--many of themdesignated for Alcoa FCU--then provided them to an accomplice. Theaccomplice took the routing and account numbers off the checks andused them to create counterfeit checks that he would cash atPittsburgh-area stores.