Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced Wednesday that four people have been indicted for forging checks from the Georgia Department of Driver Services and depositing them into personal bank accounts. The bogus checks total $53,616.02.
What’s Happening: The Attorney General’s White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit brought the cases in four separate counties. None of the four defendants had any employment or business relationship with the Department of Driver Services.
The defendants and charges:
- Ashanti Asberry, 26, of Lawrenceville — indicted in Fulton County on Feb. 17: 1 count of theft by taking, 1 count of forgery
- Aieriana Turner, 25, of Columbus — indicted in Muscogee County on Oct. 21, 2025: 2 counts of theft by taking, 2 counts of forgery
- Nakesha Bryant, 40, of Richland — indicted in Stewart County on Sept. 15, 2025: 1 count of theft by taking, 1 count of forgery
- Daria Martin, 25, of Bremen — indicted in DeKalb County on Aug. 19, 2025: 1 count of theft by taking, 1 count of forgery
What’s Important: According to the indictments, the defendants fraudulently created and forged DDS checks using DDS information. An indictment is a formal charge, not a finding of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
What the agency does: The Georgia Department of Driver Services issues driver’s licenses, ID cards, and vehicle registrations across the state. It is a state agency funded by taxpayer dollars.
In Carr’s words: “We’re fighting to ensure every tax dollar is protected — not pocketed by criminals. Let me be clear — if you steal from the State and hardworking Georgians, you will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Fraud and theft won’t be tolerated, no matter the amount,” Carr said.
The Path Forward: Each case will now move toward trial in its respective county, where prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
