A North Port woman is facing multiple forgery-related charges after officials say she claimed to be a deputy and forged Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott's signature to prove proof of employment.

Janet Asleson Bick, 33, whose last address is listed as 3705 N. Cranberry Boulevard, North Port, has been charged with Fraudulent/Criminal Use of Personal Identification Information, Forgery, Uttering a Forged Instrument and Falsely Impersonating an Officer in the Commission of a Felony after Bick reportedly submitted a letter identifying her as a deputy with the Lee County Sheriff's Office and containing the signature of Scott.

Deputies began investigating on Oct. 30 after an employee of PAR Services on Pine Island Road reported that a client, identified as Bick, was required to submit a letter from her employer demonstrating proof of employment. The letter Bick submitted was handwritten with a letterhead that appeared to be photocopied. Believing the letter was fraudulent, an employee contacted the Lee County Sheriff's Office Human Resources Division which confirmed no one by the name of Janet Bick has ever been employed by the Sheriff's Office, officials said. It was discovered that Bick had applied for a non-certified corrections officer position with the LCSO, but had been issued a rejection letter in June 2008.

Investigators met with employees and witnesses at PAR Services and members of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. Detectives learned Bick pretended to be an employee with the LCSO when she submitted documentation containing copied agency letterhead and the forged signature of Sheriff Scott, officials said.

She was subsequently charged.

Source: Lee County Sheriff's Office