He was there to kill bugs, and now he’s in jail
A Florida City man was arrested on a felony warrant Tuesday after Monroe County Sheriff’s Office detectives say he stole checks from an elderly man who was one of his clients when he worked as an exterminator.
Travarus Tremaine Aldridge, 30, who could not be reached for comment, was booked into county jail on three fraud charges and released on a $17,500 bond Thursday afternoon.
He’s accused of stealing four checks from John Cheleotis, 90, of Key Largo in November, when Aldridge went to his house while he was an employee of Truly Nolan Pest Control, according to Detective Edward Askins’ arrest report.
According to the report, Aldridge signed a written confession Tuesday stating that a caretaker for Cheleotis, who he said was named “Rosa,” gave him the checks. It’s not clear if Rosa exists or if she had any involvement in stealing the checks.
Aldridge used two checks totaling $1,610 to pay his rent, according to the report.
He cashed a third check for $975 in July at First State Bank of the Keys. He tried cashing another check at the bank, but the teller there refused and held onto it, Askins wrote in his report.
Askins stated in his report that Aldridge was photographed by security cameras at First State Bank branches in Key Largo and Islamorada.
This story was originally published August 23, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
