Georgia Woman Accused of ID Theft Refund Fraud

Montgomery, AL – In a shocking turn of events, federal authorities have charged Deatrice Smith Williams and Quentin Collick for their alleged roles in an identity theft refund fraud conspiracy, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). A Montgomery grand jury has returned a superseding indictment against them.

The 13-count indictment includes charges of conspiracy to file false claims, theft of public funds, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Williams, who worked for a debt collection company in Georgia, is accused of providing her son-in-law with names and social security numbers, which were then used by Collick and his co-conspirators to file fraudulent tax returns.

Collick was initially indicted on August 9, 2012, while Williams was arrested in November 2012 following a criminal complaint. Today’s unsealing of the superseding indictment brings new allegations against both defendants.

The alleged scheme involved cashing several fraudulent federal refund checks, though it is unclear how much money was involved. If convicted, both Collick and Williams could face substantial prison sentences, with potential penalties including up to 10 years for conspiracy, up to 20 years for wire fraud counts, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.

Investigation of the case has been led by Special Agents of the IRS – Criminal Investigation. The prosecution team includes Tax Division Trial attorneys Jason H. Poole and Michael Boteler, along with Assistant United States Attorney Todd Brown.

For more information on the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/tax. Contact Clark Morris for press inquiries at usaalm.press@usdoj.gov or (334) 551-1755.

RELATED: DeKalb man charged for threatening U.S. Representative

RELATED: Delaware Duo Nabbed in Interstate Kidnapping & Robbery