On October 01, 2025, at about 7:36 A.M., Officer Thompson of the Rochester Police Department was dispatched to a theft report. Officer Thompson spoke with the complainant (an adult male identified in the police reports and herein referred to as Victim) who reported that a check was stolen from his mailbox located in northwest Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. Victim stated on 08/28/2025, he received a $130,000 dollar check from a trust bank. After receiving the check on 08/28/2025, Victim mailed the check to his investment bank.
After about a month, Victim contacted the trust bank and requested an update on the check to see if it had cleared. The trust bank informed him that the check was cleared sometime on 08/28/2025. Victim [NAME REDACTED] investment bank and they told him they had not yet received his check. Victim [NAME REDACTED] was possibly cashed in Rochester because it was cleared the day that he mailed. Victim provided a copy of the check, the envelope that the check was being mailed in, a voided copy of the check that was cashed, and a deposit slip.
On October 16, 2025, Detective Rademacher of the Rochester Police Department reviewed the check. Detective Rademacher observed the signature on the back of the check appeared to have the Victim’s signature, but below the signature it appeared to say pay to the order of Zachary Dunaway. Detective Rademacher noted the writing was difficulty to see or read. Detective Rademacher contacted the investment bank where the check was mailed to and learned the check was deposited into a retail brokerage account of the same bank.
Detective Rademacher obtained a search warrant for the account holder’s information. Detective Rademacher received documents related to the account the check was deposited into. The documents showed the check was deposited into an account belonging to Zachary Taylor Dunaway [DOB REDACTED]. Detective Rademacher observed Dunaway’s account had four wire disbursement inquiries. Three of the wire disbursement inquiries were for other accounts belonging to Dunaway, one for $10,000 and two disbursements for $8,375. The other inquiry was for another individual.
Detective Rademacher noted none of the wire transfer attempts were successful. The documents showed buying and selling various stocks and the current value of the account at the time was $127,175. Detective Rademacher searched the phone number used for the account and observed it was associated with Dunaway. Victim stated he does not know who Dunaway is and he never gave Dunaway permission to deposit this check on his behalf. On March 11, 2026, Detective Rademacher took a Mirandized statement from Dunaway.
Dunaway stated an “old man” he previously helped with some work had asked him for help with some “stock exchange stuff.” Dunaway stated he agreed to deposit a check into his account for the “old man.” Dunaway admitted that it was his phone that was used to deposit the check but he denied doing the mobile deposit. He explained it was the “old man” who did the mobile deposit. Dunaway admitted he tried to wire transfer $10,000 to his other bank account. He explained it was to see if the check had cleared or not.
