THREE ARRESTED IN MONEY TRANSFER THEFTS

Three suspects in a Western Union caper are in custody and facing stealing charges, and police were still searching for a fourth late Tuesday.

Businessman Edward Allen Wells, 26, and Sonja Renee Ezell, 18, both of Jackson, Mo., were arrested Monday in Victoria, Texas. Police arrested Thomas John Fleeman, 19, of East Cape Girardeau, Ill., Sunday in New Orleans.

The Cape Girardeau detective assigned to the case said he is confident Scott Michael Dewerff, 18, of East Cape Girardeau, Ill., will be found soon. The three in custody will be returned to Cape Girardeau County.

Prosecutor Morley Swingle said Wells, who owns Checks Plus in Cape Girardeau, inherited a Western Union transfer machine when he bought that business but didn't have an account. From May 7-15, Wells apparently used the machine to transfer money to Schnucks, Food Giant and Kmart in Cape Girardeau and Town and Country Supermarket in Jackson.

Swingle said Schnucks provided videotape of all four suspects picking up the transfers, which totaled $17,902.89. One 16-year-old witness told him the group used some of the cash for a trip to Six Flags in St. Louis.

All four face up to seven years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine if convicted of stealing, a Class C felony.

Cpl. Trevor Pulley, the Cape Girardeau detective on the case, said it was easily solved.

"There was a paper trail," he said. "Western Union was able to tell me where the transfers came from and where they went."

An answering machine picked up the Checks Plus phone late Tuesday.

Bond for the four charged in the incident is set at $50,000 each.