NEW ULM — Charges were filed in Brown County District Court Thursday against a 56-year-old St. Paul man for allegedly forging three checks totalling $11,600.

Timothy J. Kellerman, St. Paul, was charged with two counts of felony check forgery Thursday. He was summoned to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20.

The checks were cashed at Alliance Bank branches in New Ulm, Hanska and Madelia July 26 through Aug. 4.

According to court documents, a Brown County Sheriff’s investigator talked with an alleged victim Aug. 6. The victim said somebody made counterfeits of their business checks and cashed them at three southern Minnesota banks. In addition, the victim said they had copies of the counterfeit checks.

The victim said the checks had the same account information but that the signatures on the counterfeit checks did not match the signatures of real checks. The checks were made out for $4,200 to a Gregory Thomas of Advance, Mo.; $4,200 to Timothy J. Kellerman, St. Paul, and $3,200 to Anthony J. Pizzuti, Lima, Ohio. Two of the checks had phone numbers on the back but they were bad numbers.

On Aug. 8, a Brooklyn Center Police officer was assigned to investigate the case since local law enforcement had nothing further to follow up on. The officer learned that the three counterfeit checks were cashed against the account of the victim’s business located in Brooklyn Center. In addition, the officer learned the checks were presented successfully in at southern Minnesota banks that were all Alliance bank branches located in New Ulm, Hanska and Madelia.

The victim contacted the banks who assembled security video of the incidents. The Brooklyn Center officer got video surveillance from Alliance Bank and affidavits of forgery, check and driver’s license copies for each check cashed.

The Brooklyn Center officer referred checks out to cities were the checks were cashed. On Sept. 6, Brown County Sheriff’s investigator began working on the case.