JERSEY SHORE - A Jersey Shore woman faces a variety of charges after allegedly conning her boyfriend out of more than $2,000, fraudulently taking out a credit card under her son's name and forging numerous documents, one of which included the forged signature of county Judge Marc Lovecchio.
Stephanie Jolin, 46, of 340 Maple St., faces charges in two cases. Combined, she is being charged with two counts of criminal attempted theft by deception, theft by deception, forgery, tampering with records, felony access device fraud, identity theft and theft by deception.
On March 26, Detective Kenneth L. Mains of the Lycoming County District Attorney's office was contacted by Nathan Fortson's parents who told him their son was being defrauded by his girlfriend, Jolin. They provided the detective with "a letter that appeared to be the forged signature of Lycoming County Judge Marc Lovecchio."
The next day, Mains interviewed Fortson. According to Fortson, in February, he was paying child support to Bridgette George, of Ohio, but was concerned that the child was not his. When he expressed these concerns to Jolin, she allegedly told him she "would look into the matter for him, but would need $500 to do so," according to court records.
According to detectives, she later told Fortson he had a warrant out for his arrest, for conspiracy to murder her, and that she was the only one who could help him stay out of jail. In light of this, she needed money to bail out her friend "Rah-Rah," a gang member who could help protect Fortson on the street. Fortson once again provided Jolin with cash.
According to court records, no warrant for Fortson ever existed and he has never been the subject of any criminal investigation.
In mid-March, Jolin allegedly forged a fake marriage certificate, which bears the signature of Judge Marc Lovecchio, according to court records.
On March 26, Jolin allegedly told Fortson that attorney Andrea Pulizzi had agreed to work on getting his warrant lifted, but told Fortson that he would need to provide $3,000 to $5,000 for a retainer fee. Though Fortson did not send Jolin money at that time, Mains wrote in the affidavit, "It is my belief this was another attempt to take money from Fortson."
In July, Fortson allegedly received a package from Jolin containing a forged birth certificate, pictures of a baby and a letter that explained Fortson's child was born at an undisclosed hospital in Baltimore. It also said the child was being kept on life support and that Fortson could settle the matter out-of-court by sending money.
Detectives discovered that the doctor who allegedly "signed" the birth certificate has not delivered babies for several years. There also was no record of a birth to Jolin at any Baltimore hospital.
Jolin also faces charges after allegedly taking out a credit card under her adult son's name.
Jolin, who was arraigned before District Judge Jerry C. Lepley, remains incarcerated in lieu of $65,000 bail.
