Joshua Robert Drabek, 28, of Lino Lakes, Minnesota, was sentenced Feb. 1 in Mower County District Court to 24 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for felony check forgery-make or alter checks. He received credit for 176 days served.

Judge Jeffrey Kritzer issued the sentence.

Drabek pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 1. Charges of felony vehicle theft, felony check forgery with intent to defraud and misdemeanor driving after revocation of his license were dismissed at the sentencing as part of a plea agreement.

An Austin police officer stopped Drabek on July 26 in the 500 block of Highway 218 South while he was driving a 2005 Ford Freestyle. While searching the vehicle, officers found a previously cashed check for Walmart in Drabek’s backpack. The check was from an account that did not belong to him.

Police contacted the check’s owner, who told them that no one had permission to write the check.

Drabek has prior convictions for check forgery, theft, drug possession, intentional damage to property, harassment and assault.