Armored Truck Guard Is Charged For Stealing $325,000 |
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U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of North Carolina
19 March 2020
The Guard Allegedly Stole Cash Intended to Restock Bank ATMs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury has returned a criminal indictment charging Shomarley Lockhard Hodge, 33, of Charlotte, with embezzlement, bank larceny, and transactional money laundering for stealing $325,000 in cash intended to restock bank ATMs, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Hodge turned himself in to FBI agents this morning.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, in December 2019, Hodge began working as an armed guard for an armored truck company identified in the indictment as “Company L.” In that capacity, the indictment alleges, Hodge was responsible for the safe delivery of cash entrusted to Company L’s custody on behalf of a bank, to the bank’s branches and ATMs in the Charlotte area.
According to allegations in the indictment, on or about January 30, 2020, Hodge abused his position of trust and stole approximately $325,000 from the armored truck, which was supposed to be delivered to several bank ATMs. As alleged in the indictment, the following day, on January 31, 2020, and continuing through on or about February 6, 2020, Hodge began making large cash deposits into the bank account of an acquaintance. During the relevant time period, Hodge made more than 95 such cash deposits, totaling at least $139,000. Hodge also used some of the money to pay for personal expenses, and to make a $40,000 down payment on a 2020 BMW x7 vehicle, with a purchase price of more than $118,000.
Hodge had his initial appearance this morning before U. S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler. The embezzlement charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The bank larceny charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for transactional money laundering is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI in Charlotte investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.