A Camden man was recently sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay $71,601 in restitution for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Arthur Jerome Eldridge, Jr., 25, of Camden, Mississippi conspired with others to print counterfeit U.S. Treasury Checks, deposit them at area banks, and withdraw funds from those accounts.
Eldridge was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on March 22, 2023, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca praised the investigative efforts and coordination of the U.S. Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office who investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
“The United States Secret Service works to protect and safeguard our nation’s financial infrastructure. This case shows a coordinated effort amongst our Federal partners to help preserve the integrity of the US economy,” said Resident Agent in Charge Kyle Smith of the U.S. Secret Service, Jackson Resident Office.
“I established Mississippi’s first Cyber Fraud Task Force with our U.S. Secret Service partners to protect Mississippians from the many ways that bad actors use the online world to commit the kinds of crimes that not only victimize individuals, but wreak havoc on the financial system as a whole,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “This case is a great example of how, working together, we can stop a predator doing more harm to individuals, businesses, and the underlying financial system we all depend upon.”
Mia Peterson, Eldridge’s co-defendant, is scheduled for trial on September 5, 2023. She is charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case. The announcement was made by the offices of U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Patrick M. Davis of the U.S. Secret Service, Birmingham Field Office, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
