Year long fraud investigation identifies 3rd suspect

LAUREL, Del. – An additional arrest has been made in a year-long organized fraud investigation.

In April of 2022, the Laurel Police Department began investigating a check fraud complaint reported by the Bank of Delmarva in Laurel. The investigation expanded to include banks in Dover, Seaford, Delmar on both the DE and MD sides, Salisbury, and Fruitland. The investigation identified two primary homeless individuals from the Dover area.

The investigation revealed that both homeless individuals were contacted in Dover by a group of subjects claiming to work for a construction company. The homeless individuals were offered payment in exchange for cashing “payroll checks” at various banks. The checks were fraudulently created for real business accounts that the suspects had no affiliation with.

The Laurel Police Department continued to investigate this incident for more than a year, working with agencies in six different states where the suspects had been previously known to commit similar crimes. Investigation revealed a suspect identified as Steven B Stillwell (32) of Riverdale, GA as the primary driving force in the criminal activity.

In November of 2022, investigators from the Laurel Police Department presented the case details to a Sussex County Grand Jury, who indicted Stillwell on five felony charges to include:

-2 Counts of Theft Over $1500 (Class G Felony)

-2 Counts of Forgery 2nd Degree (Class G Felony)

-Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Class G Felony)

In August of 2023, Stillwell was contacted by the Menomonie, Wisconsin, Police Department during the course of an unrelated investigation. MPD Officers discovered that Stillwell was actively wanted by the State of Delaware in reference to the above indictment and he was taken into custody. On August 30th, 2023, Stillwell was extradited back to Delaware where Laurel PD took custody and brought him before the Justice of the Peace Court for arraignment. Stillwell was committed into the custody of the Department of Corrections in lieu of a $10,000 cash-only bail pending a future hearing in the Sussex County Superior Court. He is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This is an active investigation. Anyone with information about this incident or other criminal activity is asked to contact the Laurel Police Department at 302-875-2244.

Information can also be submitted anonymously to Delaware Crime Stoppers by calling 800-847-3333 or texting “KEYWORD” followed by your information to CRIMES (274637). Tips submitted to Crime Stoppers that lead to an arrest are potentially eligible for a cash reward.