A federal judge has issued an arrest warrant for a former Sharon man who did not show up for his arraignment Thursday on bank-fraud charges, said Assistant U.S. Attorney James V. Moroney.

Craig S. Ison, 39, had been issued a summons to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Donald Nugent in Cleveland, Moroney said, adding that Ison is believed to be in Maryland.

Ison is one of seven people indicted on charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Lori M. Bryant, 31, of 925 Market Ave., Farrell, and Barbara J. McGhee, 61, of Brownsville, Pa., appeared at their arraignments and pleaded not guilty, Moroney said. They were released after posting bonds, he said.

Another defendant who was scheduled to appear, Joyce E. Green, 43, also of Brownsville, could not make it because of a transportation problem, her attorney, a federal public defender, told the court, Moroney said.

Nugent reset her arraignment for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

One other person who has yet to be arraigned, Phillip "Jiggs" Wells, 30, of 622 Emerson Ave., Farrell, is due to be released June 14 from a Pennsylvania prison, Moroney said.

Wells is serving 9 months to 2 years in prison simple assault on a 15-year-old Farrell boy.

"I believe it's the judge's intention to let him finish his sentence and then arraign him immediately thereafter," Moroney said.

Two other people were arraigned previously and pleaded not guilty: Lynnette Frieson, 34, and Charles R. Harris, 31, both of 614 French St., Farrell.

Ms. Frieson was released on bond, but Harris is in federal custody after failing to post $5,000 of a $50,000 bond, said a spokesman for Magistrate Judge George Limbert, Youngstown.

Nugent set trial for June 17, but Moroney said the judge admitted it is unlikely the trial will start then.

The federal speedy-trial rule, which requires a trial within 70 days of arraignment, does not start until all defendants have been arraigned.

"We are not going to agree to sever Wells (from the case)," Moroney said. "We want him in the case."

Harris and Ms. Frieson obtained checks from businesses and organizations and used them as samples to make counterfeit checks, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The pair also assisted the other five with getting false identification documents to use in passing the checks, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Some of the checks were cashed and others deposited into accounts for later withdrawal, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

At least 13 financial institutions in Ohio and Pennsylvania were defrauded of at least $150,000 between April 8, 1998, and January 1999, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Harris also is wanted by state police in Belle Vernon on charges of passing bad checks and retail theft.

Harris used a fictitious name Feb. 22, 2001, to open a membership at Sam's Club in Boardman, Ohio, said Trooper Jeff Trypus.

Over the next three days, Harris bought more than $6,700 in computer equipment from Sam's Clubs in Washington, Erie and West Mifflin using bad checks that he signed using the fictitious name, police said.

Trypus said arrangements will have to be made to take Harris to Belle Vernon for arraignment.

Charges were filed April 19, 10 days after the indictments were announced.