From the Time Daily
By Tom Smith

- Local authorities said a Georgia woman has been arrested after she was accused of attempting to pass counterfeit traveler’s checks at a Florence business.

Florence police officials said Ife Shani Chatman, 26, 1289 University Ave., Atlanta was charged with 21 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and five counts of second-degree forgery.

She was also charged with resisting arrest, second degree attempted theft of property, destruction of evidence and disorderly conduct

Florence Police Detective Cliff Billingsley said Chatman was arrested after a local business was warned by a Lawrenceburg, Tenn., business that a suspect could be targeting the store.

“Apparently, she had used the counterfeit traveler’s checks in Columbia, Pulaski and Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and she was making her way into Alabama,” Billingsley said.

Authorities said the suspect was spotted a short time after the Florence business was notified to be watching for the fake traveler’s checks and given a description of the suspect.

“Off-duty (Florence Officer) Kevin Jackson, was working at the business, saw Chatman and made contact with her,” Billingsley said.

Authorities said Chatman attempted to run and Jackson used a taser to subdue her.

“While she was running, she was trying to tear up the counterfeit checks,” Billingsley said.

He said there was a second subject at the store in Tennessee, but a second person was not seen at the Florence store.

Chatman is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center on bail totaling $38,000 as well as a hold for Pulaski police.