Woman with three previous forgery convictions faces another forgery charge

A Cedar Rapids woman has been charged with 12 counts of felony forgery after she allegedly used stolen checks to obtain around $3,000 worth of merchandise.

Quiana L. McMackin, 31, was arrested Tuesday night at Jones Park in Cedar Rapids and taken to the Linn County Jail. She is accused of cashing and forging 27 stolen checks at 11 different area businesses, according to a criminal complaint.

Surveillance video captured McMackin committing the crimes, and when she was arrested, police found her in possession of nine blank checks belonging to the victim, according to the complaint.

Cedar Rapids police Sgt. Denni Randall said investigators determined McMackin stole checks from Marisa Woodward. She said McMackin lived with Woodward's soon to be ex-husband and his nephew, whom she was dating. McMackin passed the stolen checks at grocery stores, pizza places and gas stations, including seven different Casey's General Stores, according to the complaint.

Investigators determined McMackin used a scheme at Walgreens stores where she would target new employees to steal gift cards, Randall said. She allegedly would get the cards scanned at the register, then say she didn't want it and act like she was returning it to the shelf. Instead, she would stick it in her purse, police said.

"She would get them confused enough that she would walk out with money already on the card," Randall said.

Employees at Hy-Vee, 20 Wilson Ave. SW, also recently recognized McMackin and kept a check she tried to pass, police said.

McMackin has three previous convictions for forgery in 2003 and 2004 in Linn and Johnson counties, according to online court records. She also has past convictions for identity theft, first-degree theft, second-degree theft, third-degree theft and tampering with records after a series of incidents in the early 2000s.

McMackin remained in jail Thursday in lieu of $20,000 bond.