GUILTY PLEA

United States Attorney W. WALTER WILKINS stated today that Teresa Halsey Windham, age 35, of Wilmington, North Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court in Florence, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten of Florence accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Windham and Doris Gardner Canty, who previously pled guilty, conspired to and manufactured then passed counterfeit commercial checks drawn on various businesses with the intent to commit bank fraud. In January 2008, Windham and Canty, after manufacturing counterfeit checks in North Carolina, traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and opened accounts at various branches at First Federal Bank. They then deposited or cashed the counterfeit checks at the bank. Windham and Canty made numerous trips to Myrtle Beach and would usually visit several branches of First Federal Bank making deposits and withdrawals using the counterfeit checks. They obtained a total of $10,826.00 before being caught. Canty was arrested by the North Myrtle Beach Police Department on January 22, 2008, while attempting to conduct a transaction at the First Federal Bank branch at 550 Highway 17 North Plaza at Gator Hole, North Myrtle Beach.

Mr. Wilkins stated the maximum penalty Windham can receive is a fine of $250,000.00 and/or imprisonment for 30 years, plus a special assessment of $100.00.

The case was investigated by Wilmington (NC) Police Department, North Myrtle Beach Police Department, Horry County Police Department and agents of the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Florence office handled the case.