Carroll County loan officer Sherri Hines charged with identity theft

VILLA RICA, Ga. — A popular Carroll County bank employee is scheduled to go before a judge Tuesday.

Consumer investigator Jim Strickland obtained a police report that said an inteal audit at Community and Southe Bank in Villa Rica revealed fraudulent dealings.

"It was an employee. Her name is Sherri Hines," District Attoey Pete Skandalakis said. An indictment accuses Hines, 40, of 13 counts of theft and identity fraud.

A long time bank employee, Hines is accused of skimming money from several accounts, and creating other accounts to cover the losses.

"It is a big case. I mean, $50,000 or $60,000 is a lot of money," Skandalakis said.

No one answered when Strickland knocked on Hines' door, despite two vehicles in the driveway.

Later in the afteoon, Strickland met Hines' lawyer.

"She wants people to know that she's not a thief. She did nothing wrong," attoey Mac Pilgrim said.

Pilgrim said Hines had been terminated from the bank before the audit, and that the Department of Labor sided with her and granted unemployment benefits.

Pilgrim hinted that turmoil at a bank that's seen three different owners in recent years could be part of his defense strategy.

"It's been mass tuover, huge tuover at the top end, and we're not sure if it's an inteal issue or if someone has framed her to make it look this way or if she's being used as a scapegoat," said Pilgrim.

Branch workers in Villa Rica refused to comment.

Strickland's calls to management in Carrollton were not retued.

The prosecutor sees this as a case of a banker acting alone, bilking long-time clients.

"She was there for some time and had developed these friendships and relationships, and they trusted her, and she violated that trust," Skandalakis said.

The sheriff's department reports Hines is free on $25,000 bond.