A DeKalb County grand jury indicted four people Friday for allegedly running an elaborate identity theft scheme.
In addition to stealing Social Security numbers and birth certificate information from six people to open bank and credit card accounts, Lataisha R. Clark, Britney Durham, Montago D. McCuller and Thianthany Ramone Roberts cashed more than $20,000 in federal income tax refund checks with forged signatures, authorities said.
The suspects are charged with six counts of identity fraud, five counts of forgery, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, obstruction and marijuana possession, according to the indictment.
Clark, 33, was the ringleader, court officials said, and was part of a larger crew of individuals participating in similar schemes.
They were arrested on Aug. 8, and Clark, who faces the most charges, was released on $4,000 bond, authorities said.
Durham, who had a previous forgery arrest in 2005, was released on $3,000 bond but was arrested again, in December, on shoplifting charges, officials said.
Roberts, who has been arrested in DeKalb County more than a dozen times since 1992 on charges ranging from drug possession to murder -- most charges, including the murder charge were dropped -- was released on $7,000 bond, authorities said.
Clark could serve as more than 100 years in prison, while the rest face as many as 30 years in jail each, officials said.
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