NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A Washington state man accused of using fraudulent checks and aliases to obtain valuable merchandise from victims across the country has been arrested following an investigation by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.
David Gene Ford, 59, of Lacey, Washington, was booked into the Nassau County Jail and Detention Center on Aug. 14 after investigators linked him to an alleged fraud scheme involving purchases made with checks that later proved worthless.
Ford is charged in Nassau County with uttering a false bank check, theft involving between $750 and $5,000, and defrauding to obtain property valued at less than $20,000. He was being held on more than $90,000 bond.
$2,500 Facebook Marketplace Sale Led to Investigation
The Nassau County investigation began in December 2025 after a victim reported selling personal property to Ford through Facebook Marketplace.
Among the items were four high-end remote-controlled cars valued at a combined $2,500.
According to investigators, Ford paid for the merchandise with a check. The victim later discovered the check had been declined. When the seller attempted to contact Ford about the failed payment, the telephone number Ford had provided was disconnected.
Detectives used information contained on the allegedly fraudulent check to continue tracing Ford’s activities.
Investigators subsequently identified a case in Knoxville, Tennessee, involving what authorities described as a similar scheme. In that case, the suspect allegedly operated under the name “Thor Chevy Haraldsson.”
Detectives Link Suspect to Cases Across Several States
As the investigation expanded, Nassau County detectives learned Ford was wanted by authorities in multiple jurisdictions across the United States, including Tennessee, Colorado and Washington.
Investigators allege Ford followed a similar pattern in the different cases, using false names or aliases and fraudulent checks to acquire merchandise.
Detectives also located multiple Facebook posts on community pages warning others about Ford and his alleged activities.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office described the investigation as involving victims across the country.