COFFEE COUNTY MAN FACES 37 FELONY CHARGES IN ELDER FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION CASE
JOHNNY WENDELL TARRANT, 32, West Green
COFFEE COUNTY-The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested JOHNNY WENDELL TARRANT, 32, of West Green, following an investigation into the alleged theft and fraudulent use of a debit card belonging to an elderly family member.
According to the investigation, Tarrant allegedly stole the debit card and linked it to his personal financial accounts. Investigators determined that Tarrant then conducted 36 separate transactions, transferring funds from the elderly family member’s account into his own. The transactions resulted in an estimated financial loss of $3,095. The original incident report documents unauthorized withdrawals from the account and identifies Tarrant as the individual suspected of making the transactions.
Tarrant faces 36 counts of Financial Transaction Card Fraud, O.C.G.A. 16-9-33, and 1 count of Exploitation of an Elder Person, O.C.G.A. 16-5-102. Georgia law defines financial transaction card fraud to include using a financial transaction card without the authorization or permission of the cardholder to obtain money, goods, services, or anything else of value.
The additional O.C.G.A. 16-5-102 charge addresses the exploitation of an elder person. Georgia law makes it a felony to knowingly and willfully exploit an elder person. Georgia law further defines exploitation as illegally or improperly using an elder person or the person's resources through means such as undue influence, harassment, duress, false representation, false pretense, or similar means for one's own profit or advantage.
In this case, the exploitation charge relates to the allegation that Tarrant used an elderly family member's financial resources for his own benefit by allegedly taking the debit card, connecting it to his personal finances, and transferring money from the elderly person's account through multiple unauthorized transactions. Georgia courts have recognized that improperly using an elder person's financial resources for personal benefit can constitute exploitation under O.C.G.A. 16-5-102.
The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office encourages residents, particularly elderly individuals and their families, to closely monitor bank accounts and financial transactions for unauthorized activity and report suspicious transactions immediately to their financial institution and law enforcement.
JOHNNY WENDELL TARRANT is presumed innocent until convicted by a court of law.