CENTRE — District Attorney Mike O'Dell last week announced he has declared the entire month of February as amnesty month for anyone with worthless check cases pending in his office.

O’Dell began the Worthless Check Unit while he was an assistant DA in the mid-1980s. Since that time, the unit has recovered nearly $10 million in victim restitution and fines.

“The Worthless Check Unit has been very successful in both Cherokee and DeKalb counties,” O’Dell said last week in a statement. “I am very proud of the work my check coordinators and investigators do to help recover this money for the victims of these crimes.”

According to Investigator Josh Summerford, there are still people in Cherokee County who have not been arrested and have not repaid their bad checks.

“If they take advantage of what Mr. O'Dell is offering, bad check writers can clear their names and avoid being arrested in front of family, friends, or coworkers,” said Summerford.

“The goal of the district attorney's office is to lessen the impact of the financial strain bad checks create for the victims and the community by obtaining restitution for victims as quickly as possible,” said O'Dell. “If you are a merchant not currently using the Worthless Check Unit, I would encourage you to do so. Our Office will work to recover your lost restitution and there is no cost to the merchant for turning over a worthless check to the DA’s office for handling.”

There are two ways to pay for worthless checks. Anyone with a bad check can pay by using a credit card or by visiting O’Dell’s office. To pay by credit card call 800-701-8560 or visit www.DADeKalb.com or www.DACherokee.com.  

For questions, call Leigh Ann Clifton in Centre at 256-927-5577, or Ann Ashley in DeKalb County at 256-845-8550.