AUSTIN — Two women have been charged in Mower County District Court after thousands of dollars in alleged check forgeries occurred during the past month.

Lilly Ann Garcia, 25, and Irma Aide Sanchez, 27, both of Gordonsville, were each charged Tuesday with five counts of felony check forgery, including one for attempting to defraud for a total of more than $2,500. According to court files, the women were allegedly cashing checks through an intermediary who runs a check-cashing business in Austin. That victim reported both women to the Austin police on July 21 after he became suspicious. He discovered his account had a negative balance of $8,000.

Police went to the victim’s home in Austin on July 21, where they confronted Sanchez about the checks. Sanchez called Garcia, who later arrived and appeared suspicious, as she asked if she was going to be arrested, according to the court complaint. Police arrested both women and took them to the Mower County Law Enforcement Center.

From June 21 to July 19, the women allegedly cashed checks for $2,300, $5,800, $8,500 and $850 through the victim. The checks were all from Bridley’s Auto in Glenville. Police found that both women are being investigated in Freeborn County for allegedly stealing the checks from Bridley’s Auto. The women said the business owner is their landlord; they work for him, and he wrote them the checks. However, the owner told investigators he never wrote the checks.

Both Garcia and Sanchez are scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 2.