Early Tuesday evening, Oakwood Police responded to the Walmart located on Mundy Mill Road in reference to a nearly $20,000 fraud case that had just occurred.
According to Detective Lt. Stewart Webb, the victim stated that she had received an email from her bank in reference to fraudulent activity. She eventually received a phone call from an unknown suspect who identified himself as being a federal agent.
“The unknown suspect told her that they were working on a case and needed her to withdraw a large sum of cash. She was eventually instructed to meet another ‘federal’ agent in the Walmart parking lot and to turn the currency ($19,600) over to him.”
During the investigation, Lt. Webb added, officers were able to immediately identify the suspect’s vehicle and then the suspect, warrants were obtained for his arrest, and a lookout was posted for him and his vehicle.
Wednesday at about 7:00 p.m., Roswell and Alpharetta police located the vehicle. They were able to detain the suspect, Frederick Lee Thornton, 50, Atlanta, and his vehicle.
“(We) immediately responded to Alpharetta where we took custody of the suspect and his vehicle for further investigation,” Webb said.
Thornton has been charged with impersonating a public officer or employee, theft by deception, and theft by conversion.