MACON, Ga. — McAfee Towers is a Macon Housing Authority (MHA) on Gray Highway is a complex for seniors and those with a disability. But an employee at the complex is accused of taking advantage of them, according to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office.
According to the arrest warrant, 36-year-old Crystal Denise Brown was accused of computer forgery, theft by conversion and forgery in the third degree back in October 2022. She was arrested Tuesday afternoon.
Macon Housing Authority CEO Mike Austin said the investigation has been going on for a while.
"In cases like this, they do take some time," Austin said.
According to the arrest warrant, Brown is charged with 104 counts of theft by conversion, 104 counts of forgery and 12 counts of computer forgery. That's a total of 220 offenses, and they are all felony charges.
Austin told 13WMAZ that MHA did call about 15 residents to let them know that their rent money was taken by the employee. He reassured them that they would not be kicked out.
"We want the residents to know no one will be evicted because of something like this," Austin said.
In the warrant, they say Brown was taking residents' monthly rent payments that had a blank "pay to order" line, and she would write her name. Brown would then "cash the money order at a check cashing business," the arrest warrant said.
Everlene Causey was a victim of Brown's scheme. Bibb County deputies came to her unit and asked her a few questions.
"Is this true that you paid somebody to decorate your apartment? I said no," Causey said.
In fact, Brown would use Causey's money orders and claim that Causey had her place cleaned and she couldn't read or write, the arrest warrant said.
"I sign my own money order," Causey said. "My brother lives here. I sign fill out his money order for him so that ain't right."
Records show Brown was in the Bibb County Detention Center and is being held on a $44,000 bond Wednesday evening.