Two people have been arrested for identity fraud, one of them a T-Roc employee at Walmart, in which the theft took place. According to Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell, their victims reportedly total eight local individuals to date, and the amount of theft valued at approximately $9,000.
“Eight are all that’s called in, but folks may still be calling in on it as they discover the fraud,” he noted.
Shanae Williams, a cashier at Walmart, would receive identification cards while she was at work, Cardwell said. Williams would look up some fake addresses on Zillow, then use the fake address with the real name and date of birth on the identification card and create an application for a T-Roc phone. Someone else would pick up the $1,200 phone and only pay the taxes for it, Cardwell said, explaining the taxes would amount to around $80. Then, the person whose identity had been stolen would receive a bill for the phone.
Because a fake address was used, it would take some time for the bill to be received, the chief said.
“The same person was picking up the phones, but it’d be in a different name each time,” Cardwell said, adding that the alleged criminals were selling the phones.
Shanae Patrice Williams, age unknown, of Madelyn Lane, Eatonton, was arrested May 2 on seven counts of identity fraud, according to records from Putnam County Sheriff’s Office jail. She was released on a $3,500 property bond.
Also arrested on the same charges was Tillman “Goat” Demon Waller, unknown age, of Gholston Lane, Eatonton. He was released on $6,000 property bond.
Noting the investigation is ongoing, Cardwell expressed gratitude to officer Dennis Tippens for his work on the case.