01 March 2023- Federal Postal Inspectors are brought into Waynesboro as the net seems to close tighter on a suspected mail fraud/check washing ring. Aaron Joseph Walton is taken into custody on February 28th of charges of felony conspiracy to commit forgery, one count of misdemeanor receiving stolen property, and three counts of misdemeanor drug possession. Walton is behind bars on $500,000 bail.
On February 28th a search warrant was executed on a home on Pratt Court in the Borough of Waynesboro. Officers forced entry after there was no response and they found Aaron Walton and two other people in the home. They were all taken into custody without incident. Police seized a firearm during the initial entrance, with one of the other people in the home telling police she had it in her purse. The firearm was illegal, however, as the woman did not have a permit to concealed carry. The second person was released from the scene with no charges.
Found at the scene as the Ruger LCP Max 380, a glass crack pipe, suspected stolen mail, two key rings, multiple drug paraphernalia items, and three digital scales.
After the search, Aaron Walton was brough in by Waynesboro PD and interviewed by two agents of the United States Postal Inspectors Service.
During the interview Walton was allegedly asked if he knew anything about stolen mail from town, which he initially said he didn’t know, only to double back and agree to talk when prompted with one of the items of stolen mail found in a trash can of the home. After bringing up that piece of mail, Walton allegedly began talking about “Jay” and a girl he called “sis” or “Annie”. Walton allegedly said that mail was given to Jay on two separate occasions DIRECTLY from the mail man. Walton also alleged the mail man would give Jay mail in exchange for “dope”.
Again, multiple scales were found on the property in addition to crack cocaine pipes.
Over the course of the interview, Walton allegedly told police that he had seen Jay opening cards and taking checks out of them, in addition to having seen Jay “making it so the checks could be cashed by changing them and altering them”. This tracks with our previous reporting on check washing being performed out of Waynesboro, with the checks then being used across southern Franklin County.
Walton went on to confirm this would all happen at the Pratt Court home he was arrested at, with Walton allegedly saying “he knew in his heart that this s**t wasn’t right”.
After Walton’s interview was conducted, police allegedly interviewed Antionette McKennie of Petersburg, VA. It should be noted McKennie is now in custody, as well, on other charges stemming from marijuana and THC edibles being found in her car during an unrelated traffic stop on February 1st. McKennie, according to police records, was allegedly Jay’s girlfriend. During the interview, McKennie allegedly said that she had seen the mailman pass off mail twice at the Walton’s Pratt Court home.
Police stress this is an ongoing investigation with the theft of checks, mail, and also distribution of a controlled substance.
As this investigation continues to get larger, News Talk 1037FM and Tristatealert.com will bring you updates as soon as they are made available.
Sources: Incident Number: WPD-202302057, Docket Number: MJ-39302-CR-0000103-2023, Incident Number: PA 2023-139267
