Press release
Orleans County, NY – The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of Jason Payne, 45, of Middleport, NY, following a criminal investigation into fraudulent financial activity.
Payne was taken into custody on June 19, 2025, by Deputy Dustin Wells and members of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Middleport Police Department.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 10, 2025, in the Town of Ridgeway, where Payne is accused of unlawfully altering a check and depositing it into his personal bank account. The investigation revealed that Payne allegedly took a check belonging to another individual, changed the amount to exceed $1,000, and mobile deposited the altered check, intending to deprive the rightful owner of the funds for his own financial gain.
Payne has been formally charged with:
· Grand Larceny in the 4th Degree (Class E Felony)
· Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd Degree (Class D Felony)
· Forgery in the 2nd Degree (Class D Felony)
Payne was processed and is scheduled to appear in Ridgeway Town Court at a later date.