Jury Scam Run On Alabama Citizens From Inside Georgia Prison

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department (JCSD) released information Thursday that says two inmates in a Georgia prison are facing additional charges for their role in a multi-state jury scam, targeting citizens in Alabama and other states.

According to the JCSD report, victims receive phone calls “from a person who claims to be an investigator with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office or another local law enforcement agency. They are told that they have failed to report to jury duty, and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The suspect then tells the victim that the warrant can be cleared up and arrest avoided if they will send money to take care of it. Victims are instructed to purchase pre-loaded money cards and call back with the numbers. The amounts have ranged between $700 and $1000. Once they call in the numbers, they are instructed to go to the Sheriff’s Office and obtain a release form. One victim was given directions to the Sheriff’s Office that included turning on “Gotya” Street.”

After several reports of this scam being run on Jefferson County residents, an investigation was launched by the Sheriff’s Office Metro Area Crime Center (MAC). Representatives from 15 different law enforcement agencies collaborate on the investigation through the MACC including the Hoover Police, Vestavia Hills Police, and Trussville Police, as well as agents from the United States Secret Service.

Investigators captured the phone numbers used to call the victims and, through a series of search warrants and interviews, they tracked the scammers down. Of all places, the scam was being run out of a Georgia prison.

United States Secret Service agents and Investigators from the MACC interviewed suspects in Georgia and determined that two convicts were responsible for making many of the scam calls, collaborating with family members outside the prison to collect the money and put it into their bank accounts.

Arrest warrants were obtained to charge 31-year-old Larry Victor Younger and 40-year-old Johnny Elway Chandler with Extortion 1st Degree and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion. The ongoing investigation has led to suspects in additional states, and more charges are likely.