Clarksville, TN – Clarksville Police Detective Chris Cunningham is investigating multiple incidents where fraudulent checks were cashed at local banking facilities.
Throughout the course of his investigation, he has been able to connect these crimes to the Felony Lane Gang (FLG). The following information was provided by Detective Cunningham.
Felony Land Game History
- The name “Felony Lane Gang” was given by law enforcement due to the group initially using the outside drive-thru lane at banks, for security purposes, to cash fraudulent checks.
- First, FLG commits vehicles burglaries in public parks, gyms, daycares, and other locations women commonly leave their purses inside their UNLOCKED vehicles.
- Next, FLG takes personal identification documents and checks from the vehicles.
- They then recruit women to pass as the victim and cash checks from other victim’s vehicles.
- FLG has grown exponentially over the years and is currently being investigated in crimes throughout the East Coast and Midwest.
- The Clarksville Police Department’s first investigations involving FLG began approximately 3 years ago with a rash of vehicle burglaries at the Clarksville Athletic Club and local parks.
- In May of 2015, the group committed three vehicle burglaries at local daycares as well as one in the county. The connection to the FLG was established by comparing MO along with video surveillance from a gas station in Antioch, TN. The CPD and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office sent a joint release with the information on the daycare vehicle burglaries in May.
Current Case on September 21st, 2015
On September 21st, 2015 two females attempted to pass a fraudulent check at Heritage Bank on Madison Street. The drive-thru bank teller recognized the driver’s license the females presented as a bank employee (The driver’s license belonged to a victim from the county daycare burglary in May).
The two females quickly left without cashing the check after realizing the bank’s suspicions. The bank teller then alerted the bank employee (burglary victim).
The bank employee/burglary victim previously dealt with Officer Coz Minetos on a separate incident. She contacted him to inform him that someone just attempted to use her ID on Madison Street, and she thought it was likely they were going to attempt to use it at another location in town.
The two females were identified as Detra Lapaglia from Fort Lauderdale, FL and Kayla Taylor from Hampton, GA. Lapaglia and Taylor were both arrested and charged with Forgery, Theft, and Identity Theft. Lapaglia was also charged with Simple Possession and UDP. Taylor was also charged with driver’s license required.
Detective Cunningham said, “Throughout the course of the investigation I was able to connect Detra Lapaglia and Kayla Taylor to the FLG. I was also able to confirm the connection with the FLG and the May daycare burglaries. During the investigation, it was also learned that Mrs Lapaglia and Mrs Taylor were involved in the same check fraud scheme in numerous surrounding jurisdictions throughout Tennessee.”
It should be mentioned that the Heritage Bank employees could not have done a better job in assisting the CPD in apprehending these two suspects.
Also, we wanted to make the public aware of this group so no one else is victimized by the FLG and to reiterate the importance of LOCKING car doors and hiding valuables, especially purses and weapons, from plain view.
Currently, the FBI is working in conjunction with the Clarksville Police Department against the organized interstate crime group, the FLG. This is an open investigation. There is no further information.
If anyone has any information related to the use of fraudulent checks or the FLG, please call Detective Cunningham at 931.648.0656 Ext 5195 or the CrimeStoppers TIPS Hotline at 931.645.TIPS (8477).
