Forgery suspect used fake papers to escape

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida say they are investigating the events leading to a forgery suspect being released from jail due to the filing of a forged court document.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said Nydeed Nashaddai, 44, of Pinellas Park, who was arrested in August for allegedly stealing and cashing checks, was released in October after someone filed a realistic-looking document with the Pinellas County Circuit Court Clerk's Office that bore the forged signature of a judge, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Wednesday.

Nashaddai was released from the county jail and an automated phone call was made to his alleged victim, David Tomlinson, saying the suspect was being let out of jail.

Tomlinson said the message made him suspicious and he contacted authorities, who discovered the document ordering Nashaddai's release was a fake. He was re-arrested within one day and jailed without bail on an additional charge of escaping custody.

Investigators said they believe Nashaddai had an accomplice on the outside.

"Obviously, he had someone who helped him out on this," said Pinellas County Clerk Ken Burke.