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Auditor’s Office Arrests Member of Jackson Counterfeit Check Ring
JACKSON, Miss. – State Auditor Shad White announced that Special Agents from his office arrested Gregory Deante McCarty, 36, at his Jackson residence on Kennington Avenue following a three-month investigation involving counterfeit state checks.
The Auditor’s office was alerted by the Department of Finance & Administration (DFA) that several counterfeit state payroll and state tax return checks were being cashed across the metro area. As the case developed, investigators determined McCarty had forged these checks and placed them in circulation statewide since at least 2014.
“In this case we had an alert DFA analyst and safeguards in place to identify and apprehend the person orchestrating the operation without incident,” said Auditor White. “It’s important to protect state money and the checks of state employees when we learn about counterfeit activity.”
McCarty was presented to an April Rankin County Grand Jury and has a lengthy criminal history of financial fraud. Agents from the Auditor’s office are continuing to work with other law enforcement agencies to identify any potential co-conspirators. If you have information regarding forged checks for state government employees, please contact the Auditor’s office at 1-800-321-1275.
“I would like to thank the other law enforcement agencies assisting in this and affiliated cases, which include the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rankin and Madison County District Attorney’s Office,” stated White.
The Auditor’s office also noted that individuals and businesses lose approximately $18.7 billion annually from check fraud. State employees and all Mississippians should monitor their checking accounts closely and contact their bank immediately if they see any questionable transactions.
McCarty is being held without bond at the Rankin County Jail and charged with False Pretense as a habitual offender. If convicted, he faces imprisonment up to 10 years and $10,000.00 in fines.
As with all cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
