Law enforcement officials are asking for the public’s help in locating two suspects accused of committing almost $35,000 in credit card fraud through a website that provides inmates with funds.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office issued warrants for the arrest of 29-year-old Lancaster Graham Jr. and 22-year-old Bianca Marcia Dias in the scam that was used to steal $34,580 from 15 victims, said Gena Bilbo, sheriff’s spokeswoman.
Dias is charged with financial card fraud and identity fraud; Bilbo said Dias took the credit card number from stolen cards and used them to deposit money in Graham’s account through JailATM.com while he was incarcerated.
Additionally, Dias deposited money through the website into other inmates’ accounts in the Chatham County jail at the direction of Graham, Bilbo said.
Graham is wanted on charges of being a party to a crime on both of Dias’ charges. Graham, a felon previously convicted of drug, burglary, theft and weapons charges in Chatham County has served at least three prison terms, according to Georgia Corrections Department records.
Bilbo said he told Sheriff’s Office investigators to “catch him if you can.”
Both Graham and Dias are known to frequent the West Savannah and Augusta Avenue areas, Bilbo said.
Anyone with information about the suspects’ whereabouts is asked to call the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office at 912-657-2070 or call CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 to provide an anonymous tip. CrimeStoppers tips that lead to an arrest could qualify tipster for a cash reward.
Plane crashes in Brunswick marsh
Responding to citizen reports of a small plane that sounded in distress followed by a loud thud Monday night, Glynn County police and other searchers found “a pretty good amount of debris” in the marsh east of U.S. 17, said Capt. Jay Wiggins, director of Glynn County Emergency Management.
Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said the debris, which included a piece of the aircraft’s tail, was in an area inaccessible by land and that the Georgia Department of Natural Resource was searching Grant’s Creek by boat along with Glynn County Search and Recovery volunteers.
The report of the crash corresponded with the time that air traffic controllers reported losing radar contact with a twin-engine plane coming from North Carolina to Jacksonville, Doering said.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was searching the area east and southeast of Marshes of Mackay, a large subdivision between U.S. and the marsh.
Kathleen Bergen, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said a Piper PA-44 crashed about 4 miles east of Brunswick Golden Isle Airport with two people onboard.
The plane departed from Concord, N.C., and would have landed at Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport, she said.
Bergen said the FAA is investigating and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash. The investigators are expected to arrive at the scene this morning.
Savannah shelter to send animals to Atlanta
Approximately half of the dogs and a few cats housed at the Savannah-Chatham County metro police department Animal Shelter will be on their way to new homes today when they are transferred to the Atlanta Humane Society.
The Atlanta Society will absorb the cost of transferring the animals where new owners are expected to be found. Metro will be reimbursed for the cost of testing and vaccination of the approximately 30 dogs and 11 cats and kittens, said police spokesman Julian Miller.
The Atlanta Society has partnered with metro in the past and officials there heard that the Savannah shelter had a large number of animals.
“This truly was a humane effort by the Atlanta Society and we certainly appreciate their thoughts and efforts,” said Lt. Cary Hill, who oversees the Animal Control Unit. “Our partners have helped us save untold numbers of animals.”
The Atlanta Humane Society transport bus is expected to be loaded at 11 a.m.
Compiled by Corey Dickstein, Katie Martin and Terry Dickson of The Florida Times-Union