Macon Regional Crimestoppers

2 days ago

Team one.PRESS RELEASE

Former Georgia Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling from Columbus Real Estate Brokerage Firm

COLUMBUS, Ga. – A former employee of Keller Williams Realty River Cities was sentenced to prison after she admitted to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer to pay off her credit card.

Lauren Williams Eldridge, 38, of Pine Mountain, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $453,876.64 in restitution to Keller Williams Realty River Cities by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on June 18 after she previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud on Jan. 29, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.

“The repercussions of employee theft are often felt beyond the prosecution, negatively affecting businesses, their customers and the community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Fraud and theft will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia. Our office will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to hold those who choose to disregard the law accountable.”

“For years, Eldridge used her company’s funds like her personal ATM,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “She will now have more than two years behind bars to consider the impact of her actions.”

According to court documents and other statements made in court, Eldridge was an office manager and bookkeeper for nine years with Keller Williams Realty River Cities (KW). KW representatives noticed some discrepancies in a KW account in Oct. 2022 and that Eldridge had moved money out of that account to other accounts. When Eldridge was initially questioned about the transfer, she did not provide a clear explanation. Eldridge resigned from her position soon afterward.

Law enforcement was notified in Jan. 2023; a review of the KW accounts revealed that a total of $453,876.68 in monthly electronic payments were made to Eldridge’s personal American Express account from KW accounts between Jan. 2017 and Sept. 2022. Eldridge admitted to KW representatives and their legal counsel in Dec. 2022 that she embezzled the money from KW to pay her personal American Express credit card balance every month. She reported that she intended to pay this money back when she first began taking funds after she had charged $30,000 to her American Express for home repairs.

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.

The United States Department of Justice
United States Attorneys' Offices
FBI - Atlanta
FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation

🔗 www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/former-georgia-bookkeeper-sentenced-embezzling-columbus-real-estate-... ... See MoreSee Less

Macon Regional Crimestoppers

3 days ago

Sharing what is known is not always about you. Consideration of others goes a long way. Domestic Violence is a true issue in today’s society, and is a precursor to escalation to violent crime.
Decisions carry consequence’s.Domestic Disturbance and Family Violence Arrest ‼

On June 14, 2025, deputies responded to a report of a domestic disturbance involving family violence at a home in Gray, Georgia.

Deputies learned that 42-year-old Christopher Covey, who lives with his elderly and disabled mother, became verbally abusive after a disagreement over some missing musical equipment. Covey directed his anger at his mother and ultimately caused damage to her bedroom door and frame.

He was arrested and charged with:
🔹 Criminal Damage to Property – 2nd Degree (Family Violence)
🔹 Exploitation & Intimidation of the Elderly

The Jones County Sheriff’s Office takes crimes against vulnerable members of our community very seriously. If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse or family violence, please reach out for help.

#JonesCountySO #FamilyViolenceAwareness #ElderAbusePrevention #ArrestReport #ProtectAndServe ... See MoreSee Less

Macon Regional Crimestoppers

4 days ago

ARRESTED: JASON D. PARKS
Date of Arrest: May 22, 2025
Thanks to information received through a Crimestoppers tip, Jason D. Parks was apprehended by authorities. Parks was wanted for Superior Court Violation of Probation (VOP) and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

We appreciate the continued support from the community in helping law enforcement bring fugitives to justice.

Submit a tip. Stay anonymous. Stop the crime.
📞 1-877-68-CRIME | 478.74.2330 | 💻 www.crimestop.us ... See MoreSee Less