Jason Meier, one of the developers of the proposed Sterling Center downtown, the focus of an article in last week’s Arkansas Times, was charged in March with forgery in the second degree and felony theft of property, the Times has learned. His case is pending in Pulaski Circuit Judge Leon Johnson’s court; plea and arraignment are sent for June 7.
According to Sherwood police, Meier wrote 36 checks totaling $58,521 on the Zimmerman Motorcars account for deposit into his account. He’d been hired at Zimmerman to create a computer system for the business. The report said that the checks were made over the signature of John Zimmerman, but Zimmerman says the signature was not his.
Meier declined to discuss the specifics of the charges. But he said his lawyer is working on getting the dispute transferred to civil court. His planned Capitol Avenue development? He said if he was sure he faced a criminal trial “I wouldn’t be pursuing what I’m pursuing.”