Georgia inmate posed as Sarasota deputy, stole $12K from woman: DOJ
by:
Rachel Tucker,
Melissa Marino
Posted: Jan 8, 2025 / 09:58 AM EST
Updated: Jan 8, 2025 / 05:20 PM EST
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments related to an alleged jury duty scam in Sarasota County on Wednesday.
Anthony Sanders, 28, who is incarcerated in Georgia, and his girlfriend outside the prison, Marlita Andrews, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The pair was accused of defrauding a Sarasota woman out of over $12,000.
She told investigators she received a call from someone impersonating a Sarasota County deputy who told her a warrant was out for her arrest for missing jury duty.
“That’s what makes it so intimidating and scary because they know things only law enforcement would know,” said Roger Handberg, United States Attorney with the Middle District of Florida.
Georgia inmate posed as Sarasota deputy, stole $12K from woman: DOJ
“They read from a well rehearsed script. They talk with confidence. They are fast and they are convincing,” said Alvin Lewis, Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI Sarasota Office.
The DOJ said Sanders used phones in prison to point the victim to a “Bonding Transition Center,” which was really a Bitcoin ATM. She deposited $12,825 into three cryptocurrency accounts, which was then transferred to Andrews’ own Bitcoin wallet, according to the DOJ.
The Georgia inmate also told Andrews to buy prepaid phones and send them to him in prison via a drone, the DOJ said.
“Prison is supposed to be prison, it’s not supposed to be a place where you’re able to perpetrate fraud, or learn from others how to commit fraud,” said Handberg.
If convicted, Sanders and Andrews face up to 20 years in prison.
If you receive a jury duty related call or email, officials say do not provide any personal information or send money. Officials said they do not call or email prospective jurors to ask for money or personal information and they never serve an arrest warrant by phone.
Officials also do not demand the payment of money in lieu of arrest, nor does it accept payment via gift cards, pre-paid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency deposits.
If you receive one of these calls officials say to hang up and report it to law enforcement.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/p...d-conspiracy-commit-wire-fraud-jury-duty-scam
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Anthony Sanders, a/k/a “Slanga” (28, McRae-Helena, GA) and Marlita Andrews (28, Macon, GA) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Sanders and Andrews each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
Georgia Inmate And Associate Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud In Jury Duty Scam
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Anthony Sanders, a/k/a “Slanga” (28, McRae-Helena, GA) and Marlita Andrews (28, Macon, GA) with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Sanders and Andrews each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Sanders and Andrews that the United States intends to forfeit $12,825, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offense.
According to court documents, Sanders, an inmate in a Georgia prison, and Andrews, his associate outside the prison, conspired to defraud a victim of over $12,000. A victim in Sarasota reported that she received a call from a scammer impersonating a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, who stated that a warrant was issued for her arrest because she missed jury duty. The victim was directed to a “Bonding Transition Center” to make payment to satisfy the warrant. In reality, the “Bonding Transition Center” was a Bitcoin ATM machine, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
The victim deposited over $12,000 into three separate accounts as cryptocurrency, as instructed. The victim’s funds were then quickly transferred from those accounts into a bitcoin wallet belonging to Andrews. By the next day, all funds were dispersed from Andrews’ account into several other accounts. The investigation revealed that Sanders participated in this scheme and used phones in prison to direct Andrews where to send profits of the scam. Sanders also directed Andrews to purchase prepaid phones to send to him in prison, via a drone.
In such scams, individuals impersonate real law enforcement or court officials, call victims, and claim that a warrant is out for their arrest because they missed jury duty. To avoid immediate arrest, the victim is advised they must pay a fine or deposit money into an account. Scammers often provide personal information about the victim, such as their correct home address and date of birth, and the caller ID of the scammer will often match the telephone number of a local law enforcement agency. Law enforcement investigation has revealed that inmates in Georgia state prisons are participating in this scheme by using illegally obtained prepaid phones and that associates outside the prison may assist with receiving the funds or transferring them to other accounts.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Tampa Division – Sarasota Resident Agency, with assistance from the FBI – Atlanta Division – Macon Resident Agency and Atlanta Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
Updated January 8, 2025
