Arrest may have closed number of cases

The arrest of a Gardnerville Ranchos man may have solved a handful of counterfeit check cases across Northern Nevada, authorities said Monday.

Robert Damon Clark, 31, was being held without bail in the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of felony fraud, possession of forged instruments, possession of documents for false identification and Elko County warrant for failure to appear on a work-camp escape charge April 2 and a Lyon County warrant for failure to appear on fraud charges.

His arrest came Friday evening after Carson City Detective Steve Johnson received information that linked Clark to a number of aliases.

About $18,000 in furniture and electronics was confiscated from Clark's rented home on Rojo Way in a search by Douglas County and Carson City, said Detective Bob White of the Carson City Sheriff's Department.

Also recovered were six false IDs Clark allegedly used to pass checks in Douglas, Lyon, Washoe, Eldorado, Storey and Elko counties.

White said Clark would create the checks and with fictitious account numbers on his home computer, also confiscated in the search.

Douglas Investigator Denny Slater said Clark allegedly told his landlord and a car rental agency he was a retired Gulf War Naval pilot, but police found no proof that Clark ever served in the military. He apparently moved into the area April 1, Slater said.

"Unfortunately, this guy has far too many aliases and too many address," he said. "We're not too sure where he's from."

The names Clark allegedly used were: Shawn Wesley Bennett, Will Shawn Bennett, Robert D. Lark, Billie Clark, Thomas Wes Bridges and Bruce Wilson.

Slater said Clark's behavior didn't appear to be fueled by drugs or gambling, but by greed.

"That's the problem, he got too greedy." he said. "If he hadn't gotten so greedy, he'd might not have been caught within a month."

White said Carson City expects to file "numerous" charges against Clark for allegedly passing counterfeit checks here.

Investigators are interested in talking to Krissy Bennett, whom they believe may have also cashed counterfeit checks, Slater said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Carson City Sheriff's Department at 887-2020, ext. 1400, or the Douglas County Sheriff's Department at 782-9905.