The Arkansas City Police Department arrested two Winfield residents recently and executed a search warrant in Winfield in connection with a forgery case.
Cole Allen Hubbard, 26, of Winfield, was arrested Friday afternoon on suspicion of felony counts of forgery, identity theft, interference with a law enforcement officer and making false information, as well as theft by deception, which is a misdemeanor.
Hubbard was transported to and booked into the Cowley County Jail with bond set at $23,000 bond through Cowley County District Court in Arkansas City. He remained in custody Tuesday.
Charity Melane Kropp, 30, of Winfield, was arrested Sunday afternoon on suspicion of felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Kropp was booked into the county jail with bond set at $6,000 through Arkansas City district court. She also remained in custody Tuesday.
Officers were dispatched around 4:45 p.m. Friday to Country Mart, located at 616 N. Summit St. in Ark City, for a report of a person trying to cash a fraudulent check.
A store employee recognized the person, who allegedly cashed a fake check within the past week at the same location.
Police arrived and contacted a man who identified himself as Christopher Bridgewater. They learned the check he attempted to cash was fraudulent and that Bridgewater’s identity had been stolen. He was arrested and taken to the police department.
Officers later determined Bridgewater’s real name is Cole Hubbard. They learned he had cashed a similar check Dec. 13 at Country Mart. He was found in possession of numerous other fraudulent checks.
Police then applied for a search warrant for Hubbard’s residence at 205 Minnesota St. in Winfield.
The search warrant was applied for Saturday and served around 1 p.m. Sunday, with the assistance of the Winfield Police Department. During the search of the residence, officers contacted Kropp there.
They detected the odor of marijuana coming from the residence. While securing the scene, they saw in plain view a brass smoking pipe with burnt residue in it thought to be methamphetamine residue.
Police applied for and served a new search warrant, seizing several items of drug paraphernalia.
Kropp then was taken into custody on drug possession charges in connection with the search.
