ALBANY, Ga. - Two Georgia inmates who used contraband cellphones to extortionately trick citizens out of hundreds of thousands of dollars from prison cells have been sentenced to federal prison, officials said.
Albany federal court sentencing
What we know:
Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands sentenced Lance Riddle, also known as "C-Port," to serve 200 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Co-defendant Joey Amour Jackson, also known as "Apes---," was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Both sentences will run consecutively to any state sentences the men were already serving.
A federal jury found Jackson and Riddle guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering on Jan. 9 following a five-day trial. Federal prison sentences do not offer parole. Restitution amounts will be determined by the court in 90 days.
Contraband prison phone scheme
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet confirmed how the contraband cellphones were smuggled into Calhoun State Prison. Investigators have also not identified every victim across the country, noting that many cases go unreported or concealed due to embarrassment.
Inmates at Calhoun State Prison used advanced electronic techniques, including Voice Over Internet Protocol, to make phone calls appear as though they were coming from local police departments. Posing as police officers, the inmates told victims they had arrest warrants for missing jury duty. They claimed the warrants could be cleared by paying a bond over the phone, warning that failure to pay would lead to immediate arrest.
Extortion and humiliating demands
What they're saying:
"Even from prison, the defendants preyed on citizens through threats and deceit, scams that too many Americans are confronted with today," U.S. Attorney Will Keyes said. "Our office and our law enforcement partners remain firmly committed to protecting the public and ensuring that those who commit fraud face full accountability."
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham stated, "Not even prison cells prevented these criminals from harming dozens of innocent people. Hopefully, this sentence will bring some level of comfort to the victims and prevent others from falling for similar scams."
The scam primarily targeted female professionals with prominent online profiles. Victims were told they were under a "gag" order and were almost always instructed to buy gift cards and read the numbers off the back over the phone. Some victims were instructed to go to a local Target store, enter a restroom, undress, and film themselves performing a self-conducted cavity search before verifying their signature, subsequently receiving lewd messages and violent threats.
Nationwide losses and debts
By the numbers:
The fraud scheme caused at least $464,920 in documented losses across 119 victims nationwide, according to court documents. Law enforcement agencies across the U.S., including departments in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia, assisted FBI agents in Columbus, Georgia.
The inmates worked with co-conspirators outside the prison system to manage the financial accounts. Stolen funds were used to buy drugs and pay off personal debts, such as vehicle and house loans.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from U.S. Attorney's Office Middle District of Georgia, who issued an official press release detailing the investigation, sentencing and court proceedings.