Suspect’s ‘love’ check costs him when cashier calls police
Published 10:52 pm Thursday, September 13, 2007
EVERETT — How does Sonny Rome get in the mood for love?
County prosecutors say it includes a romantic champagne-and-steak dinner, compliments of the Snohomish County Young Republicans.
Even if the Grand Old Party doesn’t know it’s footing the bill.
Rome, 52, was charged with forgery this week. He is accused of attempting to pass a bogus check to buy the makings of a romantic meal, according to prosecutors. The Everett man has a lengthy history of forgery, court records show.
The botched shopping spree unfolded at the QFC on Broadway two days before Valentine’s Day, according to charging papers.
The Everett man selected a bottle of champagne, steaks, roses and a large bottle of Advil. It rang up to $192.
He gave the cashier his identification card and a check.
The memo line just above the account number bore one word.
“Love.”
The name of the account holder had been scratched out until it was illegible. Rome’s name had been handwritten above the scribbles, prosecutors allege in court documents.
The cashier was skeptical. He questioned Rome about the authenticity of the “love” check.
Rome fumbled for answers, then excused himself, police reported. He told the cashier he needed to retrieve something from his car and left the store.
He didn’t return.
No romantic meal. No champagne. No anti-inflammatories.
His identification card was left behind, and he tried later that day to reclaim it, Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said. The store refused to give it back.
Police learned that the check belonged to an Issaquah man who opened the account for the Snohomish County Young Republicans in 2002. The account has been closed for two years.
The Issaquah man told police he’d disposed of all the checks and didn’t know how it ended up at QFC.
“It’s only logical the suspect or someone he knows got it out of the trash,” Goetz said.
Rome told police someone had given him the check for work he’d done. He couldn’t provide any concrete details about that person, Goetz said.
Rome now sleeps just a few blocks away from the store in the Snohomish County Jail.
He also faces a robbery and second-degree forgery charge in separate incidents.
About a month after the shopping trip in Everett, Rome allegedly tried to open a bank account in Lake Stevens with a forged check. He told police he was given the check for fixing a 1957 Chevy. He couldn’t remember the name of the people who gave him the $475.
Rome was arrested again a month later in the shoplifting of a drill and a sink faucet from the Everett Home Depot. A customer chased after him and stood in front of his car, ordering him to return the property, prosecutors said.
The customer was run over.
No love there.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or dhefley@heraldnet.com.
