Trio charged after trying to forge documents to spring inmate from Loudoun jail

A Maryland woman and an inmate at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center have been charged in a scheme where court documents were forged in an attempt to falsely release the inmate from jail.

The investigation began in November after the Loudoun County jail's records section received a faxed disposition for an inmate’s release that appeared to be sent by the Prince William County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The document was determined to be fake, to include the forging of a judge’s signature, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

In December, the Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court received a separate forged document of an amended probation document for the same inmate that appeared to be from the Virginia Department of Corrections and Parole. This document was also determined to be fraudulent, including the forging of the signature.

As a result of the investigation conducted by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Financial Crimes Section, the inmate, Deontre A. Thomas, 31 of Washington, D.C., was charged with two counts of accessory to forge a public record, two counts of accessory to utter a public record, two counts of conspire with another to forge a public record, two counts of identity theft, and attempt to escape jail confinement without force, the sheriff's office said.

Arinicea Johnson, 28, of Capital Heights, Md., was charged with two counts of forging a public record, two counts of uttering of a public record, two counts of identity theft, two counts of conspiracy on the attempted escape of prisoner and attempt to escape confinement without force, the release said.

Additionally, a second woman, Ty Yonna N. Hopkins, 31, of Washington, D.C., later called the Prince William County Circuit Clerk’s Office to assist the inmate with inquiring about the disposition notice sent to the Loudoun jail, the sheriff's office said. She was charged with accessory after the fact by receiving, relieving, or assisting in a felony, the release said.

Thomas remains held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on no bond. Both Johnson and Hopkins turned themselves over to authorities Wednesday. Johnson is being held on no bond and Hopkins was released on personal recognizance.