RANKIN COUNTY, MS – Five individuals from Florida were arrested in Rankin County after a significant ATM fraud operation was uncovered by authorities. The suspects were using stolen debit and credit card information to make fraudulent withdrawals from ATMs.
The incident unfolded on Thursday, April 24, 2025, when the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department was alerted to a suspicious person reportedly using stolen card data to withdraw money at an ATM in Pearl. Authorities conducted surveillance and observed a Black male riding a scooter, repeatedly visiting the ATM and a nearby hotel, performing multiple transactions.
After obtaining search warrants from the Rankin County Justice Court, investigators executed a takedown operation at the hotel, where five suspects were arrested without incident. The arrested individuals were identified as Caesar Allen, Lashuntavia Dequanna Mathis, Takya Princess Mathis, Gary Louis Coley, and Percy James Williams. They face multiple felony charges related to fraudulent ATM transactions and are currently being held at the Rankin County Detention Center without bond, pending their initial court appearance.
During the investigation, law enforcement recovered multiple Visa gift cards, a credit and debit card encoding machine, and approximately $5,700 in cash. It is believed the suspects used the encoding device to transfer stolen debit card information onto the gift cards, which were then used to withdraw funds from the ATM.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office expressed their appreciation to the Pearl Police Department for their assistance in the investigation. The case remains ongoing, and authorities indicate that additional arrests and charges may follow as the investigation progresses.
