Listen to Prosecutor David Leyton and Tim Herman, Regional Chamber CEO,
at the press conference (4:59) and watch ABC12's coverage.

Prosecutor Leyton’s Bad Check Program Reaches
$1-Million Mark in Restitution to Local Merchants

(FLINT, MICHIGAN, JUNE 5, 2008) Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton and others will be at Genesee Valley Center this Thursday to participate in a special event recognizing more than $1 million that has been returned to local merchants through the Prosecutor’s Bad Check Restitution Program. Read the article from The Flint Journal.

"As Prosecuting Attorney, I am always concerned about the negative impact of bad checks passed onto local businesses," said Prosecutor Leyton while announcing that the program has surpassed the $1-million mark in money returned to local businesses.

"Bad checks affect everyone from the business owner who feels it in their bottom line to the consumer who sees higher prices at the cash register," Leyton said. "Taxpayers are hit too as everyone bears the cost of additional law enforcement and prosecution of those who intentionally pass bad checks."

In an effort to combat these problems, Prosecutor Leyton’s Bad Check Restitution Program assists local merchants with their bad check losses. The primary goal of the program is to create a self-supporting program that obtains restitution for the victim while deterring repeat offenders.

First time bad check offenders are given the opportunity to avoid criminal prosecution by attending a mandatory intervention class in addition to paying restitution. All of this is accomplished without any cost to the taxpayers. Should the offender fail to pay the required restitution and/or attend the intervention class, they open themselves to the possibility of prosecution.