Prisoner charged for carrying out USD 5,500 wire fraud from inside cell

An inmate in Georgia's Jimmy Autry State Prison has been charged with allegedly carrying out phone scam from inside of cell using a contraband mobile phone and impersonating a deputy US marshal to demand the victim a USD 5,500 fine for missing jury duty.

Inmate Nicholas Rotunda Allen, 39, received the phone from someone not incarcerated at the prison and used a caller ID spoofing app to make the call look like it is from Louisiana where the alleged victim lives, Fast Company reported.

Allen told the victim to purchase USD 5,500 in Green dot prepaid cards to have an arrest warrant dismissed. If Allen is convicted on the single wire fraud charge, he could face up to five more years in prison and a fine of up to USD 250,000.