Libby woman facing 20 years
<p>Alissa Page Lockman</p>
A 21-year-old Libby woman could end up spending 20 years in prison, if convicted on the charge of forgery in a common scheme. Alissa Page Lockman appeared in Montana’s 19th Judicial District Court Monday, May 2, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Lockman was arrested March 30, 2016, by Libby Police officer John Powell after an employee of a local restaurant reported a woman for paying with a forged check, drawn on the account of a “Darren Rhodes.”
“As I was driving in the area I was waved down by [witness],” Powell wrote in his report. “[Witness] told me that the two suspects were headed towards the Memorial Center and Timberline Auto. [Witness] told me that the female had blonde hair, wearing blue jeans, black ‘Fox’ sweatshirt and is heavy set. Chief Watson was behind me so I told him what [witness] had said. Chief Watson informed me that the female we are looking for is Alissa Lockman. Watson told me that Alissa has been linked to using the same stolen checks at Young Guns, Rosita’s and Pizza Hut.”
Powell and Watson immediately began patrolling the area in an attempt to locate the woman described by the witness. Powell reported spotting a woman matching the description on California Avenue.
“As I got close to Timberline Auto from Seventh Street, I could see a heavy set female with blonde hair, blue jeans and wearing a blue and white striped shirt,” Powell wrote.
Powell detained Lockman and contacted the witness to provide positive identification. The witness confirmed Lockman as the woman who passed the check, but also indicated she had been wearing a black sweatshirt at the time of the incident, but was not at the time of her arrest.
Chief Watson and Sgt. Darren Short of the Libby Police Department then retraced Lockman’s path and located a black “Fox” sweatshirt and a book of the stolen checks that had been used at several local businesses.
Lockman was booked into the Lincoln County jail and charged with one felony count of forgery in a common scheme. If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to 20 years and fined up to $50,000. She was released on her own recognizance after Monday’s proceedings and is next scheduled to appear June 6.