Spokane man jailed after skipping sentencing for burglary, forgery

COEUR d’ALENE — A man who pleaded guilty to forging a check worth more than $6,400 and later skipped out on his sentencing is back in jail.

Justin W. Rodriguez, 45, of Spokane, pleaded guilty in November to forgery and burglary, both felonies. 

The charges stemmed from June of last year, when the owners of Absolute Machining Solutions in Lapwai contacted the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office to report they had discovered two checks not issued by the business had been cashed in North Idaho. The checks totaled $6,474, according to court records. 

Court records indicate the checks were made out to and endorsed by Rodriguez, who police said was not known to the business owners. Surveillance footage showed Rodriguez cash one check at a bank in Hayden and the other at a bank in Post Falls. 

Prosecutors initially charged Rodriguez with two counts of grand theft by possession of stolen property, two counts of burglary and two counts of forgery, all felonies, according to court records. 

Police obtained a $25,000 warrant for Rodriguez’s arrest and took him into custody in late September. 

Rodriguez pleaded guilty in November to forgery and burglary and prosecutors dropped the remaining charges. A judge released him on his own recognizance ahead of his sentencing. 

Court records indicate Rodriguez failed to show up for a court-ordered presentence investigation in December and a warrant for his arrest was issued. He also failed to appear at his Jan. 8 sentencing. 

Police took Rodriguez into custody Thursday afternoon.