Two Cuyahoga County Residents Convicted, Sentenced in Case Involving Theft of ODNR Checks Intended for Vendor

Press Release •Ohio Auditor of State

COLUMBUS - Two Cuyahoga County residents pleaded guilty this week to theft and related counts after they stole checks totaling more than $350,000 that were intended as payment for a vendor of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Janae Floyd, of Shaker Heights, admitted to single counts of theft and attempted telecommunications fraud and two counts of forgery, all felonies. Joevonte Crocket, of Cleveland, admitted to single counts of theft, attempted telecommunications fraud, and forgery, all felonies.

The pleas were submitted in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday, when both were also sentenced for the crimes.

The Auditor of State's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) opened an investigation after receiving a complaint from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources about missing payments that were mailed to a vendor of the agency's Division of Engineering.

Two checks totaling $55,228.81 and $305,873.81 were mailed in May and September of 2024, respectively, but not received by the vendor. However, both checks were deposited into accounts at separate banks that were registered to Floyd.

In June of 2024, Floyd registered a business with the Ohio Secretary of State's Office under the name of the vendor named on the checks. Crockett paid the fees for the business registration using a pre-paid debit card.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office and Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office successfully seized and recovered the funds from both accounts.

Floyd and Crocket were indicted in June of 2025 and pleaded guilty this week in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Floyd was sentenced to a year of community control and ordered to complete 20 hours of community service, among other terms. Crocket was sentenced to a year of community control, among other terms.

Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 153 convictions resulting in more than $16 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU's fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).

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The Auditor of State's Office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,900 state and local government agencies. Under the direction of Auditor Keith Faber, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies, and promotes transparency in government.

Public Affairs Contact: Marc Kovac [email protected]