By Joe Johnson
A Jackson County man who is suspected of stealing from mailboxes locally and elsewhere was reportedly arrested last week after he tried to cash a stolen check at a bank in downtown Athens.
According to Athens-Clarke County police, 38-year-old Jason Charlie Williamson of Nicholson “was in possession of over 60 pieces of stolen mail and numerous stolen and forged checks” when arrested on Dec. 29.
“Detectives are still working to confirm where the checks originated from,” said ACCPD spokesman Lt. Shaun Barnett. “Many of them are from residents in other counties so we are working with various jurisdictions. But preliminarily, it is believed that they were taken from mailboxes.”
Williamson was charged with one count each of identity fraud and theft by receiving stolen property, but Barnett said he expected that he will face additional local charges as the investigation continued.
Williamson was granted an $11,500 bond, but as of Wednesday, he continued to be held at the Clarke County Jail, where authorities from Jackson and Madison counties placed a hold on his release in connection with identity fraud and theft charges in their jurisdictions.