Athens tag office employee charged with forgery and theft

By Joe Johnson

An employee at the county tag office on Lexington Road was arrested this week following an investigation of suspected fraud.

The investigation was launched on August 7th when the county tax commissioner advised the Athens-Clarke County Police Department that 54-year-old Lilia Banderas-Lozano had committed theft by falsifying a vehicle title transfer document.

A county audit of the transaction was given to detectives for investigation, and the employee was arrested on August 18th for felony theft by taking and multiple counts of forgery, identity theft, and making false and on government documents.

Banderas-Lozano, a resident of Blueberry Hills Court, was released from jail later that day upon posting a $16,700 bond.