A teenager told a judge Tuesday that he wrote 56 bad checks to two Laramie pizza places because he had no job, no money and nothing to eat.

Jeffrey D. Niggemeyer, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of felony check fraud in Albany County District Court. State statute provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Prosecutor Kurt Britzius told the court Tuesday that the state would likely recommend probation at sentencing, but not as part of any plea deal, meaning Niggemeyer made a 'cold plea.'

Niggemeyer was arrested in July after Laramie police investigated a claim by Papa John's that NIggemeyer wrote 16 checks on a closed account in order to buy pizza from May 23 through June 18.

Court documents say police spoke with Niggemeyer on July 11. He allegedly told an officer he knowingly wrote the checks on a closed account and also said he wrote another 40 bad checks to Domino's for the same reason, with the last check being written on July 10.

The total amount of the 56 bad checks was $1,333.06, according to the police affidavit.

"I was out of a job, I was struggling to find a new one, I was out of money and I was out of food," Niggemeyer told the court during his arraignment Tuesday.

Judge Jeffrey Donnell asked Britzius why Papa John's and Domino's continued to accept the checks for so long, seeing as how not a single one could have been cashed.

"I don't know specifically," Britzius replied. "Apparently what happens is these things simply pass through and they go to corporate, where they get lost."

Donnell will set a date for Niggemeyer's sentencing hearing when the presentence investigation report is complete.

Niggemeyer remains free on $10,000 signature bond.

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