Lead suspect in south Georgia $115K stolen check fraud scheme sentenced to 5 years in federal prison

WALB is working to produce a video for this story. In the meantime, we encourage you to watch our livestream.THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) —The final defendants in a south Georgia stolen check theft and forgery scheme have been sentenced to federal prison. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, 28-year-old De’Andre Kenterrious McClarin from Thomasville and 25-year-old Danmon Jerone Wilkerson from Tallahassee, Fla., were sentenced on Oct. 28 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Federal investigators say that starting in Jan. 2022, McClarin, the lead suspect in the case, used a stolen postal key to steal checks and check information from USPS mail collection boxes and edit or create fake checks. He would then recruit other people online, including Wilkerson, to share their personal banking information and deposit the stolen or forged checks into their accounts and withdraw the money. Federal investigators determined a tot