Two Baltimore Women Charged in Union County Check Fraud Attempt

Mifflinburg police revealed on December 12, 2025 that two women from Baltimore attempted to cash a $2,800 check made out to a member of Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania Troop 60353 at Service 1st Federal Credit Union branches in Mifflinburg, Sunbury, and Shamokin Dam. The incidents occurred November 18 and 19 and led to expanded felony charges filed by Officer Michelle Marr in the Mifflinburg office of District Judge Jeffrey Mensch.

Sara Rose Elliott, 33, of Baltimore, faces 23 felony counts including seven counts of forgery, seven counts of receiving stolen property, three counts of identity theft, three counts of theft by deception, and three counts of access device fraud, along with one misdemeanor count for possession of drug paraphernalia. Felicia Marie Howerton, 36, of Baltimore, who is also known by the names Jane Doe and Lisa McDonald, was charged with five felonies including receiving stolen property, forgery, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, and identity theft, and a summary violation for an obscured license plate.

Mifflinburg officers were alerted on November 19 after Service 1st at 52 E. Chestnut St. reported someone attempting to cash a check with a stolen driver s license. Officer Marr prevented a silver Jeep Compass from leaving, observed a registration plate covered by tinted material and a cardboard attachment concealing the license plate, and found a glass smoking pipe in a suspect s coat pocket. Bank staff said a member had reported a stolen purse and bank card on November 11, and the check in question was dated November 17 with an illegible signature and a Social Security number written on the back.

Elliott was arraigned and had bail set at $125,000 cash. Both women were scheduled for preliminary hearings in December. The local impact extends beyond this single $2,800 check attempt. Credit unions bear direct costs from staff time, verification processes, and potential customer inconvenience when accounts or benefits are affected. Victims face the administrative and financial fallout of stolen identification and bank cards.

Policy implications for Union County include the need for stronger identity verification protocols at teller windows, timely reporting of lost or stolen identification, and community education about protecting wallets and documents. While paper check fraud has declined overall as digital transactions grow, cases like this show that criminals continue to target local institutions and residents. Strengthening coordination between banks and law enforcement can reduce losses and restore community confidence in local financial services.