BILOXI, Miss.–In a 35-count indictment, 14 people have been charged with bank fraud conspiracy involving thousands of dollars in counterfeit savings bonds cashed at financial institutions in seven cities that include credit unions.
According to prosecutors, Casey Aron Dixon, an Alabama resident, has been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines, the Sun Herald reported.
Thirteen others are indicted on additional federal charges of uttering counterfeit obligations for allegedly attempting to cash the fraudulent savings bonds at different financial institutions in Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, D’Iberville, Wiggins, Gautier, and Hattiesburg.
According to the report, the crime carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison plus fines. Most of the counterfeit bonds had a face value of $5,000 and were designed to look like they had been issued decades ago. The crimes occurred in March and April 2022.
The Defendants
Others charged include:
- John Stringer is accused of cashing or attempting to cash counterfeit savings bonds at Keesler Federal Credit Union branches in D’Iberville, Hattiesburg, Wiggins, Long Beach and Biloxi.
- Sierra Porter is accused of cashing the counterfeit savings bonds at Keesler Federal Credit Union branches in Ocean Springs, Wiggins, and Gulfport.
- Ali Naquin is accused of cashing a counterfeit savings bond at Keesler Federal Credit Union in Gautier.
- Kelly Gladney is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds at Keesler Federal Credit Union in Ocean Springs.
- Wendy Strange is accused of cashing a counterfeit savings bond at Keesler Federal Credit Union in D’Iberville.
- Robert Rush is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds at Keesler Federal Credit Union in the St. Martin community.
- Breanne Rachelle Ladd is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds at Navigator Credit Union branches in Gautier and Ocean Springs.
- Heather Smith is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds at Keesler Federal Credit Union in D’Iberville.
- Jamie Culpepper is accused of attempting to cash a counterfeit savings bond at Keesler Federal Credit Union in D’Iberville.
- Kendra Spiers is accused of attempting to cash a counterfeit savings bond at Citizens Bank in Biloxi.
- John Daniel Wilson is accused of cashing a counterfeit saving bond at Navigator Credit Union in Gautier.
- Joseph James Trembinski is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds at The Peoples Bank in Biloxi.
- Chadwick Alan Sharff is accused of cashing counterfeit savings bonds on several occasions at Citizens National Bank in Hattiesburg.