Congratulations!! Keep up the good work!!
THOMSON, Ga. -- McDuffie County authorities have arrested seven persons suspected in a nationwide credit card theft ring that could involve hundreds of victims.
At least two of the suspects in custody have been linked to a case involving Washington State Police, according to McDuffie County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Larry Adaway.
“This is an ongoing investigation and we anticipate more charges being filed against those already in custody,” Investigator Adaway said. “We’ve been involved in this investigation since February.”
Investigator Adaway said additional arrests might involve several other counties. Thomson Police Department and Warren County Sheriff’s Department have been involved in the investigation so far, Investigator Adaway said.
Washington State Police Detective David Startup has been in Thomson taking part in the investigation.
Investigator Adaway said at least 80 credit card numbers assigned to the Washington State Police have been compromised. Local authorities have linked at least one of those stolen numbers to two of the people arrested.
“We’ve put a lot of hours into investigating the case so far,” Mr. Adaway said. “I can tell you now, there’s going to be a lot more hours put into it before we’re finished. The magnitude of this investigation stretches so far. We don’t know when or where it’s going to end.”
Those arrested are:
* Lakita Sinkfield
* Avery Thomas
* Lindsey Roberts
* Shontae Thomas, all of Thomson.
* Shawana Walker, 27, of the 100 block of Otis Jones Road, Warrenton.
* Keith Cummings, 25, of the 300 block of Mendel Avenue, Thomson.
* Antonio Tanksley, 37, of the 300 block of Bell Road, Norwood.
Charges against the suspects differ. Several suspects remained jailed in the McDuffie County Law Enforcement Center in Thomson.
Those charged with one count of transaction financial card fraud include: Ms. Sinkfield, Mr. Thomas, Ms. Roberts, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Tanksley, Investigator Adaway said.
Ms. Thomas, who is the sister of Mr. Thomas, along with Ms. Walker, each are charged with seven counts of transaction financial card fraud and one count of credit card theft, he added.
Some of the arrests recently occurred in the parking lot of a business on West Hill Street in Thomson. Investigator Adaway said those arrests followed attempts to purchase auto parts with stolen credit card numbers. A variety of other items, such as flat screen television sets, cellular telephones and other items also have been purchased, he said.
Local authorities became aware of the crimes in February, Investigator Adaway said.
“We had learned that a lot of merchandise was being purchased with credit card numbers – all thought to be legitimate transactions at the time,” he said.
It later was learned that the purchases had been made unlawfully, which prompted an investigation by the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Department.
At least two people were taken into custody after authorities with search warrants raided residences. Mr. Cummings was arrested after a raid at a residence on the 300 block of Mendel Avenue in Thomson. Mr. Tanksley was arrested after a raid at his residence on the 300 block of Bell Road in Norwood, Investigator Adaway said.
Comments
Congratulations!! Keep up the good work!!
Early christmas for the convicts already locked up....FRESH MEAT!
Another hit for "the gimme gimme / i dont want to work for a living" crowd! Well done!
I would like to see them pay it all back by cleaning up the roads and recreation areas.
Chances are that they could never be able to pay back even a fraction of the money stolen by doing community service ... If they hadn't been using a state police credit card would the level of investigation been the same ? Has it stands if they hadn't picked the wrong victim they would be still living large .... The level of risk with this type of crime is low and the reward high and the victims pay the majority of the penalty since the goods are gone and the money spent .... The only satisfaction is that they stole the wrong ID and will be charged with the full weight of the law, that's a win for the folks who have had ID stolen and a loss for the scammers... Hopefully a few of them pause before they use other peoples credit and wonder who's watching .
I wonder how much damage they did since Feb.?
awesome!! how many of them do you think will hang around, if they make bail? i hope they don't have that chance.
I like PIES!!!
Part of Obama's entitlement crowd!! If you don't give it to them, they take it!!
I went to school with that crew,and they were crooks long before Obama came along they just don't want to work,everybody else worked and went to school and did something they just want something for nothing!Terrible,I feel as though they should gey what they desrve and plus some more too,so they have been ruined long before President Obama,can;t blame him for that,it's the parents they do what they are taught!
A jerk in the Atl. area just got 15 years for breakins,,,he almost passed out when told what his sentence would be..The house had hidden cameras & caught them breaking in the door,,ransacking the house & taking everything they could. These folks had at least 2 breakins before,.& were sick of it..I might get some of those cameras myself..
Where do they get these names from?
Pirate...I think the persons make the names up so they can be easily profiled.
you're right, missaugusta, these people were messed up a long time ago. I thing what getalife was implying is that Obama's "something for nothing" programs just encourage more people like these. Obama, of course, isn't the first and he surly won't be the last.
no doubt...look @ the names..crooks til the end
To bad that they all didn't have guns and resisted arrest. No court time, No jail time, No tax payers money and No further education to become better criminal [filtered word]'s
Is Obama going to pardon all of his voters who keep getting locked up in jail so they can vote in November?
He is going to need them, that is for sure!
Lakita, Shontae, Shawana and Antonio and the other 3 could go either way getalife you got it right!
Those my mama's babies---ain't dey?
Good thing it is the City Cops instead of the County--If they were like Burke County Investigators, they couldn't find their butts with both hands on it!
I know the criminals deserve what they get but do some of you realize how stupid and uneducated,not to mention un-American it is to keep chewing the towel with President Obama. I mean get a life. You know, I guess, that President Obama had nothing to do with this. Get over President Obama Please and try to say something worth reading.
I strikes me as funny that the only ones who have received something for nothing under Obama are the bankers and stock brokers. Most of these comments are more appropriate for Maddoff than these thugs.
i'm very happy that they finally bust them. ppl that know me knows that shantay and shawana are old friends. i don't feel sorry for them at all. i feel sorry for their children. i hope they get everything they deserve and more. they made the bed now they have to lay in it.
Damn, if they hadn't been buying oversized tires and wheels and new stereo equipment for their '89 Chevrolet Caprice, they would have never been caught. Don't they know that they draw attention to themselves when the car sets up higher than a 4 wheel drive truck, and the tires and rims cost more than the value of the car? What are they thinking?
Lock them up and throw away the key.
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