Pair alleged to have stolen from farmer

A Neshoba County man and a Philadelphia woman have been arrested in connection with a bank fraud scheme.

They are alleged to have taken about $3,200 from a Neshoba County poultry farmer, the authorities said.

The man, Albert S. Coats, 29, 8857 Road 420, was arrested and charged with contempt of court, petit larceny, and felony false pretense, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark. 

His accomplice has been identified as Hazel Abear, 25, 107 Alexander Avenue, who was arrested and charged with felony false pretense, Clark said.

The victim noticed he had about $3,200 missing from an account.

An investigation determined that Coats and Abear made withdrawals on five occasions in the 20 days between Dec. 7 and Dec. 27, in amounts ranging from $200 to more than $2,000, according to Clark.

Clark said the investigation began when the victim reported on Dec. 14 that some tools had been stolen from his farm. The victim said he had previously employed Abear and Coats on his poultry farm in early December.

As the investigation progressed, the victim was made aware of the money missing from his bank account.

Clark said the investigation determined Coats and Abear had used information from a check the victim used to pay them to make purchases using the account. That information included routing and account numbers. Clark said they kept a picture they had taken of the check for reference.

Clark said Coats was arrested on Jan. 2. Clark said he spotted a car registered to Coats, who had a warrant for failure to appear in court, driving towards Newton County on I-20.

Clark said he began to follow Coats who then exited on Chunky-Duffee Road. Clark said he communicated with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and they decided Clark would pull Coats over and Newton County deputies would meet them.

Clark said he made the traffic stop in front of Cajun Cooking, a restaurant on Chunky-Duffee Road. Clark said Newton County deputies were soon on the scene followed by a Neshoba County deputy to transport Coats back to the Nehsoba County Detention Center where he remains.

Clark said Coats soon gave them the whereabouts of his alleged accomplice Abear. Clark said Abear was arrested at the Neshoba General Medical Pavillion where she was taking her children in for a checkup with her mother.

Clark said Abear was arrested and the children were left with Abear’s mother.

According to jail records records, Abear posted a $10,000 bond on Jan. 5 at 4:20 p.m.