Florida News Beep | NewsBeep.com
  • News Beep
  • Florida
  • Jacksonville
  • Miami
  • Tampa
  • Orlando
  • Port St. Lucie
  • United States
Florida News Beep | NewsBeep.com
Florida News Beep | NewsBeep.com
  • News Beep
  • Florida
  • Jacksonville
  • Miami
  • Tampa
  • Orlando
  • Port St. Lucie
  • United States
Lead suspect in south Georgia $115K stolen check fraud scheme sentenced to 5 years in federal prison
TTallahassee

Lead suspect in south Georgia $115K stolen check fraud scheme sentenced to 5 years in federal prison

  • October 31, 2026

WALB is working to produce a video for this story. In the meantime, we encourage you to watch our livestream.

THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) —The final defendants in a south Georgia stolen check theft and forgery scheme have been sentenced to federal prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, 28-year-old De’Andre Kenterrious McClarin from Thomasville and 25-year-old Danmon Jerone Wilkerson from Tallahassee, Fla., were sentenced on Oct. 28 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Federal investigators say that starting in Jan. 2022, McClarin, the lead suspect in the case, used a stolen postal key to steal checks and check information from USPS mail collection boxes and edit or create fake checks.

He would then recruit other people online, including Wilkerson, to share their personal banking information and deposit the stolen or forged checks into their accounts and withdraw the money.

Federal investigators determined a total of $115,936.05 was stolen from about 14 banks and credit unions.

McClarin was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, while Wilkerson was sentenced to 27 months. Both men will also serve five years on supervised release and pay restitution.

Six other defendants have been convicted and sentenced in the case, including:

Kemareon Bryant, 28, of ThomasvilleJerry Hayes, 54, of ThomasvilleJaylen Filmore, 24, of ThomasvilleJelan Hayes, 28, of ThomasvilleAngela Cookley, 25, of Tallahassee, Fla.Kembrick McClendon, 37, of Thomasville

You can find their full list of charges and sentences here.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more south Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.

  • Tags:
  • $115K stolen check fraud scheme
  • Check fraud scheme in south georgia
  • Danmon Jerone Wilkerson from Tallahassee
  • De’Andre Kenterrious McClarin from Thomasville
  • Fla
  • multiple plead guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
  • Tallahassee
  • tallahassee crime
  • Tallahassee Headlines
  • Tallahassee News
  • Thomas County crime
  • U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia
  • walb news
Florida News Beep | NewsBeep.com
www.newsbeep.com