Two Columbus women facing federal indictments for their role in mail scheme

Two Columbus Women are facing up to 20 years in prison for their part in a mail scheme that stole more than $165,000 from Americus and some Florida residents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Jenetta Small, 27, and Janita Bre’ Shaye Terry, 22, of Columbus are facing four counts each of bank fraud, according to officials. The DOJ says they were taken into custody on Feb. 23 and made initial court appearances the same day.

The Ledger-Enquirer previously reported this criminal enterprise trend. Columbus has been prey to multiple mail theft scams which resulted in the loss of $3 million in 2022, according to Sgt. Jane Edenfield of the Columbus Police Department.

In this latest case, authorities allege that the ringleader of the thefts is 24-year-old Jalen Tylee Hill aka “Roscoe Hill.” They say he and others would steal checks out of mailboxes in Americus and other locations in Georgia and Florida. Hill allegedly recruited his co-defendants through social media to cash the stolen checks and commit bank fraud, according to the release.

Hill is still at-large and those with information on his whereabouts can call the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office at 770-216-3000.

The DOJ says he faces 112 charges of various crimes including bank fraud and aggravated identity theft among others.

This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 2:19 PM.