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First Posted: 9/13/2013
WILKES-BARRE — City police allege Rohey-Tanisha Njie admitted to selling two $500 money orders for $20 while employed as a clerk at Turkey Hill because her ex-boyfriend “strong-armed her,” according to charges filed on Friday.
Njie’s boyfriend, Shamar M. Grayson, needed cash to pay child support, police say.
Njie, 18, of Sterling Street, Wilkes-Barre, and Grayson, 23, of Patterson, N.J., were arraigned by District Judge Rick Cronauer on criminal conspiracy and access device fraud. Njie was also charged with false reports to law enforcement and unsworn falsification and Grayson with theft.
They were released on $5,000 unsecured bail each.
According to the criminal complaints: The store manager at Turkey Hill on Carey Avenue reported on Aug. 4 that Njie sold two $500 money orders for $20 the day before. When questioned by police, Njie allegedly claimed her ex-boyfriend “strong-armed her into issuing the two money orders because he threatened to assault her and her unborn child if she failed to do so,” the complaints state.
Police were unable to identify Njie’s boyfriend.
When police reviewed the Aug. 3 recordings of the store’s surveillance system, Officer James Conmy recognized the man as Grayson, according to the complaints.
Conmy went to Sterling Street and found Njie sitting on the front porch. Grayson allegedly admitted to receiving the two money orders to pay child support.
Njie claimed they only attempted to cash one of the money orders, as her credit union withdrew $500 from her account when Turkey Hill placed a stop payment on the money orders, the complaints state.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled on Oct. 1.