MANCHESTER –– A New Hampshire man pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of a stolen check, according to the United States Attorney’s Office District of Vermont.
Nicholas Melanson, 41, of Manchester, New Hampshire, admitted to his crime in United States District Court for the District of Vermont yesterday.
The sentencing hearing for Melanson has been scheduled for April 2, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss.
Melanson confessed to traveling from New Hampshire to Windsor five times between May 11 and May 19, 2022.
He was tasked with transporting an elderly woman from her home to conduct banking transactions and obtain checks.
Two of these checks, each worth $25,000, were payable to Melanson and were deposited into his accounts in New Hampshire. However, the payments were stopped, and the deposits were reversed.
Melanson also noted the elderly woman’s cognitive limitations during their interactions, which led him to believe she was incapable of making informed decisions about large financial transactions without guidance.
The transactions Melanson facilitated for her totaled at least $392,000, although many were also stopped or reversed.
Melanson was arrested on September 29, 2022, and remains on release pending sentencing. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000.
