Tyrone Terrell Harris, a 34-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty on March 24 in federal court in Cedar Rapids to multiple charges related to a fraudulent U.S. Treasury check scheme targeting Eastern Iowa financial institutions.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about identity theft and financial fraud involving government checks. The scheme affected several victims and involved the use of stolen personal information to access funds illegally.
According to evidence presented at detention hearings and other related cases, Harris provided fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks to co-conspirators who used fake driver’s licenses and stolen social security numbers to open bank accounts in victims’ names. The group quickly withdrew the proceeds in cash to avoid law enforcement detection. At his plea hearing, Harris admitted involvement with five stolen checks totaling over $300,000 during August and September 2023. He also admitted personally withdrawing $9,000 in fraud proceeds and conspiring with others between June and September 2023 to launder the money.
Harris has prior felony convictions for offenses including attempting to elude police officers, driving under the influence, and running a roadblock across Illinois, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
Several others have already been convicted as part of this investigation: Edgar Stacey Delgado of East Los Angeles was sentenced in February 2025 for forged endorsement on a U.S. Treasury check; Irvin Lantern of Chicago received a sentence earlier that month; Dale Ford of Cedar Rapids was sentenced in March 2025; Tim Dale Howe also from Cedar Rapids was sentenced in July 2025; Cornelius Devon Hicks received his sentence that same month. Each defendant faced imprisonment terms ranging from six months home confinement up to forty-one months’ imprisonment along with orders for restitution.
Sentencing for Harris will be set after completion of a presentence report before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He remains held by the United States Marshal pending sentencing where he faces at least two years’ mandatory minimum imprisonment but could receive up to one hundred years plus fines totaling $3.5 million.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek following an investigation by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation unit with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cedar Rapids Police Department.
