Staff Report

Willie Andrew Alsanders

WARSAW — Two South Bend men face criminal charges after allegedly writing checks and using them illegally to purchase items at Menards.

Willie Andrew Alsanders, 42, 724 N. Allen St., South Bend, is charged with check fraud and forgery, both level 6 felonies.

Dyllan D. Stockberger, 22, 1410 Miami St., South Bend, is charged with check fraud and theft, both level 6 felonies; and theft, a class A misdemeanor.

On Feb. 14, 2020, a Warsaw Police officer went to Menards regarding a fraudulent check being used. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the store manager.

According to court documents, the store manager said on Feb. 11, 2020, a man, later identified as Stockberger, wrote a check on a Teacher’s Credit Union account in the amount of $3,021.66. The check was used to purchase home security systems, a refrigerator and a range.

Upon investigation, the officer learned the account number on the check returned to a woman. The woman said the TCU account was hers but that she does not have a checkbook and did not give permission to anybody else to use her account.

The officer reviewed surveillance footage and confirmed Stockberger writing a fraudulent check. Stockberger is also shown with Alsanders selecting items for purchase. At the time of the initial purchase, the two did not take all the items, stating they would pick them up at a later time.

The manager said on Feb. 12, 2020, a third man arrived at Menards to pick up the items fraudulently paid for by Stockberger.

On Feb. 16, 2020, a Warsaw officer went to Menards regarding a second fraudulent check being used. Upon arrival, the store manager said Alsanders had returned to the store and paid for merchandise with a fraudulent check. The items fraudulently purchased included a refrigerator, a range and a microwave, totaling $4,691.

Alsanders signed the check using a different name and provided identification with that name. Officers contacted INOVA Federal Credit Union staff, who said the account number used on the check did not match any open accounts. Alsanders left without taking the fraudulently purchased items, saying the items would be picked up at a later time.

Later that day, the man who picked up items on Feb. 12, 2020, went to the store to get the items Alsanders fraudulently purchased. The man told officers that he was paid by a man to pick up items from Menards since he owned a truck and trailer. He said he did not know any of the items were fraudulently purchased.

Alsanders was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on March 4, with a $7,000 surety and cash bond.

A warrant for Stockberger’s arrest was issued on July 21, 2020.