South Georgia man accused of using others’ identities to buy vehicles from Tallahassee dealerships
www.wctv.tv , Jamiya Coleman, September 5, 2024
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - A South Georgia man is behind bars after being accused of using other people’s identities to purchase cars from several dealerships in Tallahassee and across the Southeast, recent court records show.
Jamal Smith, 29, of Albany was arrested Wednesday and faces 449 counts of criminal possession of personal identification information, one count of scheme to defraud over $50,000, and one count of aggravated white-collar fraud, per court records. He’s also facing charges in Miami-Dade County.
The investigation into Smith unfolded in August 2023, when the Florida Highway Patrol stated someone, who works at a Tallahassee car dealership, contacted FHP and advised that Smith was attempting to purchase a vehicle with information they believed was fraudulent, court records indicate.
The fraudulent information consisted of a Tennessee driver’s license bearing a name different from Smith’s, stating an age of 38, and an earnings statement with an Alabama address, among other documents.
Law enforcement then contacted the FHP Tallahassee Regional Communications Center, which court records said revealed that the driver’s license Smith provided to the car dealership was connected back to a different person.