Wesley Pearson, 27, was identified after detectives executed search warrants at multiple banks; the original crime was reported in May 2023
North Haven Police Arrest Hartford Man Nearly Three Years After $14,000 Check Fraud
North Haven police arrested a 27-year-old Hartford man on March 10, 2026, in connection with a check fraud case that began nearly three years ago when a local business reported a company check had been fraudulently altered and deposited.
Wesley Pearson of Hartford was taken into custody on a warrant and charged with second-degree larceny and third-degree forgery. The case originated in May 2023, when North Haven patrol officers took a report from a business owner at police headquarters about a company-issued check valued at more than $14,000 that had been "fraudulently altered and deposited into an unknown bank account" belonging to a company that the victim's business did not recognize.
How Investigators Identified the Suspect
The investigation was conducted by North Haven detectives, who executed search warrants at multiple financial institutions to trace the path of the fraudulently deposited check and identify who had opened the receiving account.
The multi-institution financial search is a standard investigative tool in check fraud cases. When a check is fraudulently altered, it typically passes through banking systems that maintain records of deposit, account holder information, and transaction details. Access to those records through court-authorized warrants can allow investigators to work backward from the deposit to identify the beneficiary.
North Haven police confirmed that this process led them to Pearson. The investigation spanned from the initial report in May 2023 to the arrest in March 2026 — a period of nearly 34 months.
In a statement, North Haven police said, "time does not erase accountability," noting their commitment to pursuing fraud cases even when resolution takes years.
Charges and Legal Exposure
Pearson faces second-degree larceny and third-degree forgery under Connecticut law.
Second-degree larceny covers theft of property valued between $10,000 and $20,000 in Connecticut. It is a Class C felony, which carries a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison. The $14,000 value of the fraudulent check places the case within this charging range.
Third-degree forgery in Connecticut covers the unauthorized alteration or creation of a written instrument — such as a business check — with the intent to defraud. It is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail.
No bond amount or arraignment date was publicly available as of publication. Court records for Pearson's case had not yet appeared in the Connecticut Judicial Branch's online database.
Check Fraud and Financial Crimes Investigation
Check fraud remains one of the more common forms of business financial crime despite the growth of electronic payments. Business checks are a particular target because they often carry large dollar amounts and may pass through accounts for days or weeks before discrepancies are detected.
In check alteration schemes, a fraudster typically obtains a legitimately issued check — sometimes through mail theft, employee access, or document manipulation — alters the payee name, amount, or both, and deposits it to an account they control. The receiving account may be opened under a fictitious business name or using false identification.
North Haven police have pursued similar financial fraud cases in prior years, including larger-scale check fraud schemes that resulted in arrests and prosecutions. The $14,000 case involving Pearson represents a smaller but still significant financial loss for the business that filed the original complaint.
Anyone with information about financial fraud in North Haven is encouraged to contact the North Haven Police Department.
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