Five people from Florida were arrested in Rankin County after investigators discovered an ATM fraud operation using stolen debit and credit card information.
On Thursday, April 24, at around 10:00 a.m., the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a suspicious individual allegedly utilizing stolen card information to make fraudulent transactions from an ATM in Pearl. Investigators conducting surveillance in the area noticed a Black male pedaling a scooter back and forth between a neighboring hotel and the ATM, making repeated transactions.
After obtaining search warrants from the Rankin County Justice Court, investigators executed a takedown operation at the motel, apprehending five suspects without incident. Caesar Allen, Lashuntavia Dequanna Mathis, Takya Princess Mathis, Gary Louis Coley, and Percy James Williams have all been identified.
All five defendants face several felony charges for fraudulent transactions and are being held without bond at the Rankin County Detention Center pending their first court appearance.
During the inquiry, investigators discovered many Visa gift cards, a machine for encoding credit and debit cards, and $5,700 in cash. Investigators believe the suspects utilized the encoding equipment to imprint stolen debit card information on gift cards, which were then used to withdraw cash from an ATM.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office praised the Pearl Police Department for assisting with the investigation. Officials stated the case is still ongoing, and further arrests and charges are possible as the investigation progresses.
