It's a fraud scheme that cost local businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office made a dozen arrests as part of a fake check scam.

"I normally don't call a press conference to discuss the prosecution of a bad check case,” said William Fitzpatrick, Onondaga County District Attorney, But this I think you'll agree is a somewhat extraordinary situation."

According to Fitzpatrick, it involved at least $350,000 worth of cash.

"This was a very sophisticated operation with very cleverly forged instruments backed up by legitimate IDs,” he said.

The arrests came when the DA's office spotted a pattern. All of the checks were worth around the same amount: $400-$500 each. Dozens of checks were cashed in Onondaga County and beyond over the past three years. Many were cashed at Empire Federal Credit Unions, the Tops on West Genesee Street, and the Turning Stone Casino. But Fitzpatrick says he will not press charges against people for accepting the checks.

"It's not in my practice to go after the low-level uh fish in this rather extensive uh operation,” he said.

Prosecutors say the same people were cashing them, including two high school students. Fitzpatrick says they were recruited by a short-term substitute teaching assistant in the Syracuse City school district. The DA is actively searching for a man named London Lucas, 26, who lives in Syracuse.

"I'll use the term loosely,” said Fitzpatrick, “[Lucas is] the mastermind of this operation."

Investigators believe Lucas may currently be in Auburn. If you would like to share a tip with prosecutors, you can reach the Onondaga County District Attorney's office at 315-435-2470.