A personal care nurse stole a credit card from an elderly patient and passed it around to friends for their own personal use, said Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner.
      Tequilla A. Lawton, 19, Brannen Hodges Road, “removed the credit card from the residence of an elderly woman that she was responsible for and gave the card to friends to use on 16 or more occasions,” he said.
      Statesboro Police know of at least 71 charges that took place between June 30 and July 28 at 26 different locations in Statesboro and Bulloch County, he said.
      During the course of the investigation, Statesboro Police Det. Ken Scott discovered “several of the fraudulent transactions were caught on tape at various locations,” Turner said. “He identified several witnesses as well as the friend using the card.”
      The woman using the card for Lawton was identified as Delaina C. Swinson, 24, Packinghouse Road.
      Scott soon located Lawton and Swinson, who both turned themselves in shortly afterward, he said.
      Swinson and Lawton are both charged with 71 counts each of financial transaction card fraud. “Other charges are pending further investigation,” he said. “Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Ken Scott, who is leading the investigation. Information can also be submitted anonymously online using tipsoftonline.com, click on submit a tip.”
      Both Lawson and Swinson were taken to the Bulloch County Jail, where they await bond and other court appearances.
      Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.