While waiting in the checkout line at the Hartselle Wal-Mart on Tuesday night, Morgan County sheriff’s investigator Sgt. Terry Kelly got a break in a month-long check-forging investigation.

He didn’t know it at the time, but a Somerville woman suspected of using computer-generated checks with stolen account information was standing behind him.

Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett said the woman, Denise Ellsworth Young, 40, began a conversation with Kelly while holding one of the fake checks.

“He realized this was his suspect and that she had a check in her hand identical to a forged check he had picked up that afternoon in Eva,” Bartlett said.

Kelly informed Young he worked for the Sheriff’s Department and asked to see the check, he said. She screamed “no,” jerked away from Kelly and ran. Bartlett said Kelly ran after her and shouted for someone to stop her.

“An unidentified member of the U.S. Army in uniform bumped the woman into a wall, and Kelly got her down and held her on the ground,” Bartlett said.

Kelly was with his wife during the shopping trip. Having heard the commotion, his wife ran to help detain Young until Hartselle police and Morgan County sheriff’s deputies arrived, he said. Young continued to struggle, and Hartselle police had to use a Taser to subdue her, Bartlett said.

“More than a dozen forged checks were found in her possession along with a forged Alabama driver license with her picture but a different name,” Bartlett said. The name matched several of the checks found.

Investigators first became aware of the scheme when they received a report Aug. 8, Bartlett said. The Northeast Morgan County Water Authority on Alabama 67 in Somerville had several checks cashed through its account that the agency had not disbursed, he said.

“These were computer-generated checks that had false business names and addresses as the account holders but contained NEMCWA’s account number,” Bartlett said. In all, the fake checks totaled more than $1,500.

Then several Somerville and Lacey’s Spring residents reported the “home-grown” checks had been passed all over the Tennessee Valley, and the money taken from their accounts, Bartlett said. Investigators even traced the checks with local residents’ account numbers to Tennessee and Georgia, he said.

The fraudulent checks totaled about $10,000, he said.

In addition to printing checks, Bartlett said, Young was making fake Alabama driver licenses and identification cards to help pass the phony checks.

Investigators charged Young with unlawful printing or distribution of facsimile of the Department of Public Safety, three counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument and resisting arrest.

She was released from the Morgan County Jail on Wednesday on $47,000 bail.

Investigators also charged Britney Carol Sloan, 23, of Somerville with two counts of second-degree possession of forged instruments and a probation violation.

She remained in the Morgan County Jail with no bail for the probation violation.

“We have at least one other suspect and several persons of interest remaining in the case,” Bartlett said. “Other arrests and charges are expected.”

Bartlett said he also wants the serviceman who helped Kelly Tuesday night to contact the Sheriff’s Department so he can be officially recognized for his actions.