A man and woman from Minersville. face charges after they were caught creating fake skills game tickets in Pottsville.
Additional information provided by the caller/business owner was that a male forged tickets from their skill machines valued at in excess of $800.00.
Police arrived at the business and made contact with the owners. They stated a tall, thin build white male was in the store on April 26th, 2023 and cashed two forged tickets from their skill games located inside the business for $830.00.
Police arrived at the business and made contact with the owners. They stated a tall, thin build white male was in the store on April 26th, 2023 and cashed two forged tickets from their skill games located inside the business for $830.00.
While conducting an internal audit and checking all the receipts for the skill games, they noticed two tickets, one valued at $365.00 and one valued at $465.00 looked different compared to the rest. Their internal investigation of the skill machine histories never showed tickets of those values being cashed and printed.
The audit did show one ticket valued at $3.00 and one ticket valued at $1.00 were printed from the machines on April 26th, 2023 and never redeemed for cash.
The audit did show one ticket valued at $3.00 and one ticket valued at $1.00 were printed from the machines on April 26th, 2023 and never redeemed for cash.
Further examining the supposed fraudulent tickets, the font for $3.00 and $1.00 were faded and appeared to have been erased.
A value of $365.00 was printed over the $3.00 ticket and $465.00 was printed over the $1.00 ticket.
While reviewing the security cameras, a tall/thin build white male with tattoos on both arms, later identified as Shawn Sukeena, 46, of Minersville was seen at the machine ("terminal 4") where the $3.00 ticket and $1.00 ticket were printed on April 26th, 2023.
The video shows Sukeena place the tickets in his pocket and leave the store without redeeming them.
The owner reported Sukeena came back inside the store on April 26th, 2023 at approximately 8:00pm and presented the fraudulent tickets to receive cash payment of $365.00. A Criminal Complaint was completed by Ptlm. Delinko for Sukeena, charging him with two counts of Forgery (F2), two counts of Theft by Deception (M1), and two counts of Receiving Stolen Property (M1).
Police learned that Sukeena had an active arrest warrant from another state agency and he may be staying at 105 Westwood Street in Minersville, PA. Members of Pottsville PD and Minersville PD were able to locate Sukeena inside this address and he was subsequently taken into custody.
Police learned that Sukeena had an active arrest warrant from another state agency and he may be staying at 105 Westwood Street in Minersville, PA. Members of Pottsville PD and Minersville PD were able to locate Sukeena inside this address and he was subsequently taken into custody.
Prior to making contact with Sukeena, Police observed a silver Dodge pickup truck parked near 105 Westwood Street that they knew to be Sukeena's based on prior incidents. Police checked the registration plate attached to the truck, however, County 911 advised that the registration given was for a different type of vehicle.
After running the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for the pickup truck through County 911, they advised it came back to Sukeena. Police were able to see a printer in the back seat of the truck through its tinted windows. There was information that Sukeena may have a printer in the back seat that he uses to print the fake tickets.
Sukeena was transported to Magisterial District Judge Reiley’s Office for arraignment on the above charges and bail was set at $20,000 unsecured due to Sukeena’s active warrant from PA State Parole.
Sukeena was transported to Magisterial District Judge Reiley’s Office for arraignment on the above charges and bail was set at $20,000 unsecured due to Sukeena’s active warrant from PA State Parole.
Pottsville Police later learned from Six One Vapor that there was video of a female also redeeming fraudulent skill game tickets on April 26th, 2023 prior to Sukeena.
During the course of the investigation, Police learned that the female using the fake tickets was Dionne “DeeDee” Harris, 41, of Minersville. Harris was contacted and subsequently admitted to being an accomplice with Sukeena with using fake skill game tickets for cash, namely $465.00.
Ptlm. Delinko completed a criminal complaint for Harris and charged her with one count of Conspiracy to commit Forgery (F2), one count of Theft by Deception (M1), and one count of Receiving Stolen Property (M1). Harris was arraigned by Harris by Magisterial District Judge Reiley at a later date and was released on unsecured bail.
The Pottsville Police remind all skill game owners to double check the tickets of anyone redeeming tickets. Forging fake tickets for cash is becoming a common practice.
Ptlm. Delinko completed a criminal complaint for Harris and charged her with one count of Conspiracy to commit Forgery (F2), one count of Theft by Deception (M1), and one count of Receiving Stolen Property (M1). Harris was arraigned by Harris by Magisterial District Judge Reiley at a later date and was released on unsecured bail.
The Pottsville Police remind all skill game owners to double check the tickets of anyone redeeming tickets. Forging fake tickets for cash is becoming a common practice.