Several Arrested for Fraud
Nine arrests have been made after a six month investigation by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office which was in reference to a Financial Identity Fraud case involving the Jasper County Middle School and Hamilton State Bank.
A suspect, Kenson Akile Hunte of Atlanta, is believed to be the ringleader of approximately 20 people from the metro Atlanta area who were cashing counterfeit and forged checks at local businesses in states of Virginia, Alabama and Texas and throughout the metro Atlanta area including Canton, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Douglasville and Locust Grove, according to a report from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO).
It appears that the routing number and account numbers from the Jasper County Middle School had been stolen and checks were being counterfeited and then signatures were being forged on the checks and presented for cash or being deposited into personal banking accounts. In some incidents the funds were being moved by internet banking to try and conceal whereabouts of stolen funds.
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The suspects range in age from 17 to 30 with most being high school or college students. Information received from most of the arrested persons advised that the ringleader would post on social media pages attempting to lure needy persons into “Making Quick Cash” and after meeting the suspects, the ringleader would use the suspect’s personal identification to create a counterfeit check.
Accomplices would drive the suspect to a location and have the suspect enter the business, cash the check and then return the funds to the ringleader. In return the ringleader would pay the suspect as little as $100 or as much as half the face amount of the counterfeit check.
Eight suspects have been arrested so far with outstanding warrants pending for another 12, the report from JCSO said.
The charges for all 20 suspects are as follows:
Forgery in the fourth degree (misdemeanor), printing/executing or negotiation checks knowing information to be in error (felony), conspiracy to commit a felony (felony), and financial identity fraud (felony).
The ringleader, Kenson Akile Hunte, was arrested and charged with the following:
Conspiracy to commit a felony (felony), one count, forgery in the first degree (felony), six counts; forgery in the fourth degree (misdemeanor), 14 counts; racketeering (felony), one count; printing/executing or negotiation checks knowing information to be in error (felony), one count; financial identity fraud (felony), one count, and participating in criminal gang activity (felony), one count.
Mr. Hunte is free on $75,000 bond.
Other incidents that occurred in the last week, include a report of financial transaction card fraud, where a woman complained someone had opened credit cards in her name without her permission or knowledge.
Two burglaries resulted in arrests. One was on Nighthawk Court where tools and coins were among the things taken, and the other was on Jackson Lake Road, where cash, coins and a tablet were taken. Kody Rake and a juvenile are charged in those burglaries.
Other burglaries were reported on Apt To Miss Road, Pheasant Drive, Hwy. 16 west, and Templeton Circle.
Persons arrested in the last week, and their charges, include:
•Richard Walter Wescoe, 44, Monroe—possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, duty upon striking an unattended vehicle, drugs not in original container and reckless driving.
•Kody Ray Rake, 17, Monticello—burglary-1st degree (three counts).
•Henry Scott Ashley, 19, Conyers—probation violation.
•Thomas Escalante Mor-ales, 38, Covington—driving with no license and tail light violation.
•Jaquatia Lucinda Butts, 18, Covington—Jasper County Probate Court failure to appear bench warrant.
•David Lamar Ewing, Jr., 36, Covington—driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to maintain lane.
•Wendell Blake Miller, 44, Covington—hold for warrant in Newton Co.
Also in the last week, deputies responded to numerous calls for service, including 77 stopping suspicious person or vehicle, 65 premises check, 53 serve civil papers, 31 direct traffic, 27 subject needs officer, 19 alarms, 16 pick-up prisoner/subject, 11 mechanical breakdown, eight each serve warrant and speeding auto, and many other types of calls.
