A Denison man has pled not guilty after allegedly attempting to cash an almost $5,000 forged check and bringing cocaine into the jail facility. According to Crawford County District Court records, 33-year-old Francisco Aliseo (Al-e-so) Zuniga (zu-ne-ga) attempted to cash a check in January for $4,900 at a bank in Denison. Zuniga was taken into custody to the Crawford County Jail, where what was believed to be a controlled substance was found in his pant’s pocket. Zuniga allegedly stated it was cocaine when confronted about it, which tested positive as cocaine during a performed field test. Zuniga was released from custody after posting a $5,000 surety bond, and his jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Crawford County Courthouse, facing three class D felonies of second-degree theft, forgery and possession of contraband in correctional institution. If convicted, Zuniga faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison and over $30,000 in fines.
