UPDATE: Final defendant sentenced in Morris Bank fraud case

Federal prosecutors say James Kevin Meyers caused false currency transaction reports to be filed while managing a Macon check-cashing business.

UPDATE (6/4/26): The final defendant tied to a federal investigation into a $3 million bank fraud conspiracy targeting Morris Bank in Gray has been sentenced to prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia says 57-year-old James Kevin Meyers of Gray was sentenced Thursday to 12 months and one day in prison after pleading guilty to causing the filing of false currency transaction reports.

Prosecutors say Meyers managed Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing in Macon, where several Morris Bank loan and cashier’s checks connected to Ronnie Atkinson were cashed.

According to prosecutors, the reports should have listed Atkinson as the person who presented the checks and left with the cash. Instead, the reports listed the payees on the checks, even though prosecutors say those people were not present and did not collect the money.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says five Morris Bank loan checks were illegally cashed under Meyers’ direction for $166,788, $117,409, $93,338, $126,743 and $280,013.

In related cases, Atkinson was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $3,357,073.21 in restitution. Former Morris Bank Market President Alan Childs was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution.

“This case makes clear that we will identify and hold accountable every individual involved in a fraud scheme,” U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes said. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop financial crimes and protect the public’s trust.”

Federal prosecutors say there is no parole in the federal system.

UPDATE (2/18/26):  A third defendant has now pleaded guilty in connection with the Morris Bank fraud scheme.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia on Wednesday, 57-year-old James Kevin Meyers of Gray pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of causing the filing of false currency transaction reports.

Prosecutors say Meyers managed Mr. Kevin’s Check Cashing in Macon and admitted to filing reports that falsely listed payees on Morris Bank checks, even though Ronnie Atkinson was the person who presented the checks and received the cash.

Prosecutors say five checks totaling more than $780,000 were cashed in 2022 as part of the broader scheme. Meyers faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Atkinson was sentenced February 5 to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $3,357,073.21 in restitution. Former Morris Bank market president Alan Childs previously received a 12-month and one-day sentence and was ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution.

ORIGINAL STORY (2/5/26):

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Macon man was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to bank fraud charges.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, 57-year-old Ronnie Atkinson was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty in May 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The sentencing follows the 12-month sentence handed down to 60-year-old Alan Childs of Gray in September 2025. In addition to that sentence, Childs was ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution after pleading guilty in April 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Prosecutors say court documents and statements show Childs served as the market president for Morris Bank in Gray from March 2018 to August 2022 and had lending authority up to $500,000 per customer relationship. He needed approval from the senior credit officer to lend more.

According to the release, Atkinson, who owned a timber-harvesting business, obtained his first loan from Morris Bank to purchase equipment in March 2018. Childs handled that loan and all subsequent loans. By June 2019, Atkinson reached the maximum $500,000 threshold.

Beginning in August 2019 and continuing through May 2022, Atkinson began having relatives and friends appear as borrowers for loans intended for his benefit, the release said. Prosecutors say Childs knew the loans were for Atkinson.

In loans involving the purchase of goods, prosecutors say Atkinson included several fraudulent bills of sale and that he also instructed some of the “so-called” reported sellers of the goods to “instead cash the loan checks and give the money to him or one of his relatives.”

Atkinson also brought several Morris Bank loan and cashier’s checks to a local check-cashing business and collected cash, the release said.

As a result, Morris Bank issued 57 loans “to and for the benefit of” Atkinson, with a total loss of between $1.5 and $3.5 million.