The Region - News from April 14, 1985

The owner of a Sherman Oaks car rental company has been convicted in Los Angeles federal court of forging and cashing 400 stolen U.S. treasury checks totaling $250,000. Assistant U.S. Atty. David Wiechert said a jury found Howard Tyrone Ferguson, 45, guilty on seven felony charges including conspiracy, receiving stolen government property and forgery. Ferguson, who owns Alfa Rent-a-Car, acted “as a sort of clearing house” for stolen government checks, including several brought to him by unidentified postal employees, the prosecutor said. U.S. District Judge Pamela Rymer scheduled sentencing for June 3.