SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A man is out thousands of dollars after police say he fell victim to a jury duty scheme.
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But what makes it so unusual is who they believe helped orchestrate this scheme: an inmate already serving time inside a Georgia State Prison, Channel 2’s Michael Seiden reports.
It all started with a phone call. Sandy Springs police say the caller claimed the victim had missed jury duty and threatened to have him arrested unless he paid up.
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The victim sent $4,000 through Apple Cash.
But when detectives started following the money, they discovered it had been moved through multiple accounts.
And according to court documents, the victim tried to send another $4,500, but that transaction never went through.
According to arrest warrants, that money went to an account linked to a woman. Police say she kept $200 and sent $3,800 to Karla Abarca-Carrillo was arrested and booked into the Fulton County jail earlier this week.
Investigators say Abarca-Carrillo kept about $400, sent $2,400 to another woman and transferred $1,000 to an account linked to a prison inmate.
Detectives also traced a phone used to contact the victim to inside or near Ware State Prison.
That’s where Lamarcus Johnson is incarcerated.
Court documents identify Johnson as the apparent organizer, alleging he directed how the money was distributed.
“We’re realizing that the suspects in these cases are people who are already locked up,” said Sandy Springs Officer Jarrell Greene.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and warns people to watch out for fraudulent calls.
“We would never call somebody and threaten their arrest because they miss jury duty,” Greene said.
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