CALHOUN COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Victims of a scam conducted by Calhoun State Prison inmates said the fear was “immediate” and “overwhelming,” in interviews with WALB on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Victims recalled the moment they saw their local police department’s number on their caller ID, followed by an “officer’s” voice threatening arrest for missing jury duty.

Joey Amour Jackson and Lance Riddle, both inmates at Calhoun State Prison, were convicted on Jan. 9 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after a five-day trial. But for the victims, the conviction marks the end of a nightmare that felt disturbingly real.

“They made it sound so official.”

The scheme was alarmingly convincing, victims said. Using contraband cellular phones and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology, Jackson and Riddle spoofed the phone numbers of local police departments nationwide. When victims answered, they heard what sounded like legitimate a law enforcement official demanding immediate payment of bonds to avoid arrest.

“I panicked,” one victim said. “They had my information. They knew details about me. I genuinely thought I was going to jail if I didn’t pay.”

The callers instructed victims to purchase gift cards and read off the numbers—a request that, in hindsight, seems obviously fraudulent. In the moment, under threat of arrest, victims complied.

A Broader Campaign of Exploitation

What made this scheme particularly sinister, victims explained, was what happened after the initial payments. Some were subjected to additional demands and harassment that extended far beyond the original extortion.

The inmates reportedly coordinated with co-conspirators outside prison who managed financial accounts and laundered the stolen proceeds, money used to pay personal debts and purchase drugs while their victims suffered.

Many female victims were told that, because of supposed heightened courthouse security, they needed to go to a local Target store, enter a restroom, undress and record themselves performing a self-conducted cavity search before verifying their signature. Some victims subsequently received lewd and sexually explicit messages, including photos of male genitalia and violent threats. The scheme primarily targeted female professionals with prominent online profiles, though a small number of male victims were also identified.

The Numbers Behind the Trauma

The documented losses reached $464,920 from 119 identified victims scattered across Colorado, Florida, Virginia, Nevada, California, Ohio, Georgia and beyond. But law enforcement officials said they believe the true number is far higher. Many victims likely never reported the crime, too embarrassed or traumatized to come forward.

“The number of unreported cases is likely substantial,” according to the federal investigation.

Victims often concealed what happened, unwilling to admit they’d been duped by what they believed was law enforcement.

What Comes Next

Jackson and Riddle now face up to 30 years in prison for wire fraud and up to 20 years for money laundering, followed by three years of supervised release and $250,000 in fines per count. There is no parole in the federal system. A sentencing date will be scheduled by the court.

For the victims who spoke with WALB Wednesday, the conviction brings some measure of closure, but also a reminder of how vulnerable anyone can be to a well-crafted scam. Many expressed hope that this case would prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.

The case was prosecuted by Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.

If you believe you were targeted by this scheme or similar jury duty scams, contact your local FBI field office or the U.S. Attorney’s Office at MDGA.gov.

In a WALB News 10 exclusive, The U.S. Attorney’s Office will sit down with Ashanti Drake to give more details in this investigation and answer questions like:

• Do you believe this case exposes a larger problem with contraband cell phones inside Georgia prisons?
• With documented victims in at least six states, how complex was it to investigate and prosecute this case?
• Are investigators still looking at other inmates or outside accomplices connected to this scheme?

Part two of this investigation is set to air on Saturday, Jan. 17.

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