Fraud ring suspect says co-defendant coerced him

Speight ‘supplier’ of checks used to defraud banks

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A member of an alleged fraud ring told a Blair County jury Monday morning that he was coerced into cooperating with the group, during the first day of trial for the ring's supposed "supplier."

Jaylon Maurice Speight, 31, of Walstonburg, North Carolina, is accused of procuring the checks and debit cards that he and his co-defendants would allegedly use to defraud various banks. He faces a single felony count of corrupt organizations and two felony counts each of criminal conspiracy to engage in forgery, forgery, theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Bushnell called Speight's co-defendant Ronald Smith Daniels Jr., 56, of Washington, as the day's first witness. Appearing via video, Daniels detailed how he met his and Speight's other alleged co-defendant Shea Anquon Langley, 37, of Greenville, North Carolina, in September or October 2023 when he was homeless.

Daniels said Langley gave him methamphetamine and fentanyl, then returned a week later demanding payment. When asked by Bushnell what Langley told him, Daniels said Langley threatened to kill his girlfriend and then him if he did not get in their vehicle and leave with them.

Daniels said he was told he would be given debit cards and checks to go into banks and make deposits, and that he would not be asked for identification.

"They said if I was asked for ID, to turn around and leave as quickly as possible," Daniels said.

Bushnell then asked what roles each of the individuals played, to which Daniels said Langley and Quante Tavon Smith, 30, were the "head guys," while Speight was the "supplier."

"(Speight) provided Quante with the cards," Daniels said.

Daniels then said he was told by the men that he was needed because "in the state of Pennsylvania, they won't pass checks for Black people so they had to find a white person and dress them up."

"That was their excuse for giving me drugs and using me," Daniels said.

On cross-examination, Pletcher questioned Daniels on why he did not call the police when he was threatened. Daniels said he was told to get into the vehicle right there and then, so there was no time. When Pletcher asked why he did not call the police later, Daniels said he was involved in something illegal at that point.

Testimony is expected to continue about 8:30 a.m. today in courtroom four of the Blair County courthouse. Speight has remained free since posting $100,000 on Dec. 31, 2024.

Daniels is serving about 7 to 18 years' incarceration after pleading guilty to a single felony count of corrupt organizations and two felony counts each of criminal conspiracy to engage in forgery, forgery, theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud on May 29, 2025.

Langley pleaded guilty to single felony counts of corrupt organizations and criminal conspiracy to engage in forgery, as well as two felony counts each of access device fraud, forgery and theft on May 30, 2025, in exchange for three to eight years' incarceration.

Smith remains free after posting $100,000 bail on Dec. 12, 2024. He faces a single felony count of corrupt organizations and two felony counts each of forgery, criminal conspiracy to engage in forgery, access device fraud, theft and receiving stolen property. The case against him is listed as inactive.

The charges against the group stem from a monthslong fraud investigation in Blair County that began on Nov. 22, 2023, when a Hollidaysburg police detective received a call from a First National Bank fraud investigator, who said a white male, later identified as Daniels, had deposited a fraudulent check for about $13,949 into an account at a Hollidaysburg branch on Nov. 10, 2023.

In reviewing the checking account's summary report, the detective noticed that on Nov. 10, 2023, there were two PIN purchases for about $1,004 each, one PIN purchase for about $484 and one ATM withdrawal for about $500, all performed at the Altoona Walmart. When watching security footage obtained from the Walmart, the detective saw a Black male conduct three different PIN purchases for about $2,491 at the customer service desk before exiting the store with a taller Black male, court documents state.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.