LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A man was arrested with an AR-15 pistol and stolen identities. Additionally, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office says that the suspect was involved in a fraud case that involved multiple states.
The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office said that Keonta Demarius Cottingham, 27, of Birmingham, was arrested after detectives linked him to a multi-state identity theft and fraud case that began in Vermont.
LCSO told News 19 that Detectives with the Williston Police Department in Vermont contacted the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office regarding a financial fraud investigation involving a local business in Vermont.
Authorities said that the business had its banking information stolen and fraudulent checks were deposited using a stolen identity.
According to authorities, Cottingham was tracked to Limestone County, Alabama.
After tracking Cottingham, deputies responded to a call for service at his location and pulled a vehicle over that was leaving the scene.
LCSO said that Cottingham had a AR-15 pistol in the passenger seat of the vehicle.
Due to probable cause, investigators began to search the vehicle, which led to them recovering multiple stolen identities, including the one used in the Vermont case.
Cottingham informed investigators of his violent criminal background, which includes previous charges of attempted murder, robbery, and shooting into occupied buildings. He is currently on probation from prior convictions.
Cottingham was arrested and charged with:
- Trafficking in Stolen Identities
- Identity Theft
- Possession of a Pistol by a Violent Felon
Bond has not yet been set at this time. The case remains under active investigation, and additional charges are anticipated.
“As our community continues to grow, we remind all residents that if you see something, say something,” said Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin. “Together, we can continue to protect our neighborhoods from dangerous individuals and criminal activity.”
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