The Cherokee County Sherriff’s Department is on the lookout for the woman pictured here in this report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution. In two days time last month she made off with $15,500 from a Florida woman’s bank account.
The identity of the suspect is not known. She used the Florida woman’s information and her photo on an id to write checks to “cash” in order to get the money from the victim’s Wachovia accounts.
She hit three branches in two days obtaining $4,500, $6,500, and $4,500. More than likely she was surprised at her the success the first time and decided to push her luck at a few additional branches.
The alleged victim in this incident has no connections to Cherokee County and it is unclear how the suspect came into this information. She did, however, manage to make off with quite a total before calling it quits.
Police have released photos of the suspect to various media outlets in hopes of getting some help from the community. More than likely, however, she is lying low or left the area with her cash.
Identity theft is actually quite common, even though it isn’t always this brazen. More often, people make purchases with someone else’s information rather than going straight to the bank. Suspects will even tend to make purchases online without ever having to show their face.
Regardless of how it is pulled off, identity theft is considered a pretty serious fraud offense under Georgia law. For a first time offense, suspects can face up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. If this is a second or subsequent offense, however, the potential sentence is elevated to 3-15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
Facing these charges is something that should be done with the assistance of an aggressive and experienced defense attorney. Call our lawyers today if you are up against identity theft or other criminal charges. We may be able to help you get your charges dropped or work out a plea agreement with the prosecutor.
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