HOLMES COUNTY, Fla. (WDNews) – The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has secured arrest warrants for Alrad Jackson of Georgia on charges of grand theft and criminal use of personal identification following a bank fraud investigation.
Authorities say a female accomplice used a fraudulent ID to enter a Wells Fargo bank in Opelika, Ala., falsely identifying herself as a Holmes County resident. She then added Jackson’s name to the victim’s account before the pair withdrew a substantial amount of money.
HCSO investigators traveled to Opelika to subpoena bank records and surveillance footage to identify the woman involved. However, they encountered resistance from the bank’s management.
“The bank manager refused to cooperate with law enforcement and denied investigators access to the banker, refusing to allow her to speak with law enforcement,” the sheriff’s office stated.
A subpoena was also sent to Wells Fargo’s corporate office, but more than ten days later, officials have yet to respond.
“It’s frustrating to see how quickly banks can release surveillance footage and documents when their own assets are at risk, yet we’re still waiting for basic cooperation in a case that directly affects a Holmes County citizen,” said Sheriff John Tate.
“Just recently, when a local Wells Fargo ATM was robbed, the company provided surveillance footage of the suspects within 30 minutes. But when it’s a private citizen’s money that’s been stolen, we’re left waiting for days with no response.”
Jackson remains in custody in Georgia and will be extradited to Holmes County to face charges. Meanwhile, HCSO is working with the State Attorney’s Office to legally compel bank officials to cooperate with the investigation.
