FAIRMONT — A 38-year-old Fairmont woman is facing multiple felony charges in Martin County.

Tiffany Charlotte Miller has been charged with two counts of theft and one count of issuing a dishonored check. All three charges carry a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the report:

On July 25, an officer of the Fairmont Police Department made contact with a witness from South Point Federal Credit Union in Sleepy Eye Minnesota. The witness informed the officer that she wanted to give information on a party that could possibly be writing bad checks in Fairmont. The woman stated that Miller had an account with their institution over the last several months, and had been passing multiple insufficient fund checks on that account.

The witness indicated that Miller’s account had been closed due to fraudulent activity, and further stated that she had information that Miller would be returning to Thompson Haugen Jewelry in an attempt to purchase more items. She stated that Miller had already passed two checks at the business, and she had made a phone call to the store asking what the store hours were. The witness then informed the officer that the Mankato Police Department had two open cases with Miller for similar behavior.

The officer then made a phone call to a second witness, an employee of the jewelry store. The witness indicated that Miller had been in the store on July 1, 2017, and wrote a check in the amount of $2,734.93 and received merchandise which included one karat diamond earrings, a small bracelet, and a sterling silver hoop. The witness indicated that during the transaction Miller talked about her medical issues, that she had cancer, and she spoke of bad times she was going through.

The witness further stated that Miller returned to the store on July 20, 2017, and made a purchase of an infinity bracelet, a gold cross necklace, and diamond earrings. She stated that Miller wrote a check in the amount of $2,163.15. She stated that Miller came in the store with a sling on her arm and stated that she had been hurt by her husband.

The officer asked that if Miller came into the store again that the employees call the police, but to wait and see if Miller made a purchase. The officer advised that if Miller did make a purchase, to allow the sale to the point of the check being written to see if Miller would again attempt to offer another check.

The officer returned to the Martin County Law Enforcement Center where he checked Miller’s criminal history. In doing so, he learned of two pending cases in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, where Miller was charged with felony theft and check forgery on July 5 and also issuance of a dishonored check on July 17, 2017.

At approximately 2:05 p.m., the officer again spoke to another jewelry store employee, who informed the officer that Miller was now in the store and looking at items. The officer went to the mall and parked outside while on the phone. The employee advised that Miller had written a check, so the officer entered the store and stood behind Miller.

The officer asked to see the check that Miller had written, and he observed that the account number was the same that had been given to him by the first witness, who had stated that the account had been closed. The officer then observed that the check had been written out for $7,120.01. Miller was placed under arrest and the officer escorted her outside.

As they exited the mall, the officer observed a car waiting at the front door. Miller advised that it was her friend waiting for her, and the officer identified the person as a fourth witness. Miller was transported to the Martin County jail.

While Miller was being booked, jailers located three checks in Miller’s wallet belonging to the fourth witness. One check appeared to be made out to Shopko and then crossed out and made out to Target Corp., and had writing over the paid to stating “sign over to Tiffany Miller. Another check with a date of July 26, 2017, was made out to to Tiffany Miller in the amount $800 with a cursive signature that did not match the signature of witness four.

Miller was read her rights and agreed to answer questions. Miller state that she did write the check to the jewelry store for over $7,100, and also admitted to passing the check on July 1 in the amount of $2,163.15 and a check on July 20, in the amount of $2,734.93.

When the officer asked Miller why she was doing this, she stated she had told the Mankato Police she was in trouble. She stated there was a person by the name of “Teddy” who was a transgender person who had lived with her a few months ago. Miller stated that Teddy had been arrested and had called Miller to pick them up at the police station and Miller had refused.

Miller stated that sometime after that, Teddy had been threatening to harm her and her son. Miller claimed Teddy has been making her write these checks out to get money to pay Teddy.

Miller admitted that she had received diamond studded earrings on July 1 from Thompson Haugen and she had given them to a person named Rudy, who had pawned the diamonds at Pawn America for $800. Miller then stated that on July 20 she also received diamond earrings from Thompson Haugen and she had pawned those for $300 at Pawn America. Miller indicated she gave the money to Teddy, but that Teddy denied it.

Miller stated she had been abused by her husband and was afraid when someone threatens her and that is why she was doing this. Miller stated she had an injury to her arm caused by Teddy. Miller also stated that the fourth witness had told her to keep that three checks the jailers had discovered on her person.

The officer later spoke to the fourth witness, who indicated that he had not given Miller permission to have the checks and the signatures on the checks were not his. When asked about the injury, the man stated that he was told by Miller it was caused by her ex-husband. The officer asked the man if he knew who Teddy was and he stated that he did, but that he did not feel there was any problem between Teddy and Miller.

The officer asked the man how long he had known Miller, and he stated he had known her approximately four or five days.

Officers contacted Pawn America in Mankato, and were informed that Miller had been in their location on three different occasions, but that no one had been in by the name of Rudy.