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Home Court filings USA v. Thomas et al USA v. Thomas et al — Darrell Thomas judgment, N.D. Ga. Order as to Darrell Thomas granting the Government's Motion — USA v. Thomas et al. (Dkt. 106, N.D. Ga.)

Court filing

Order as to Darrell Thomas granting the Government's Motion — USA v. Thomas et al. (Dkt. 106, N.D. Ga.)

Filed March 17, 2021 in USA v. Thomas et al.; one of 58 filings from this case.

Record facts

CourtU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Filed2021-03-17

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia · No. 1:20-cr-00296-JPB-CMS · Doc. 106 · 2021-03-17 · Docket on CourtListener

Full text

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA 
ATLANTA DIVISION 
 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
:: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
:: 
CRIMINAL CASE NO.  
 
v. 
 
 
 
 
:: 
 
1:20-cr-00296-JPB-AJB 
 
 
 
 
 
 
:: 
DARRELL THOMAS 
 
 
:: 
 
 
ORDER 
 
On August 6, 2020, defendant Darrell Thomas (“Thomas”) was released on 
a bond under conditions of supervision set in this case, including that he shall 
not violate federal, state, or local law while on release.  On March 17, 2021, 
Thomas appeared in person with counsel to address the allegations of a petition 
filed by his supervising United States Probation Officer seeking to revoke the 
bond granted on the grounds that he violated the condition of release that he not 
commit an offense in violation of federal, state, or local law.  The government 
moved for detention and to revoke his bond based on the new criminal conduct. 
The government presented evidence to establish probable cause that 
following his release on bond on August 6, 2020, Thomas has laundered nearly 
$3,000,000 in proceeds of fraudulent loans under the Paycheck Protection 
Program (“PPP’’) in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956, and 
committed aggravated identity theft in connection with bank fraud and wire 
Case 1:20-cr-00296-JPB-CMS     Document 106     Filed 03/17/21     Page 1 of 3

 
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fraud offenses, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A, as 
detailed in the declaration of FBI Special Agent Joseph D. Stites submitted with 
the petition.  The evidence of record indicates that Thomas, either personally or 
with the assistance of others, engaged in a series of banking transactions through 
his company bank account beginning within days of being released on bond that 
involved receiving and dispersing millions of dollars in proceeds of fraudulent 
PPP loans by using payroll cards in the names of other individuals and his own 
name.  This course of conduct appears to have actually commenced on the very 
day he was released on bond as payroll cards that had been seized during a 
search of his residence were reported as lost on the evening of August 6, 2020, 
and replacement cards were issued by the bank and some of these replacement 
cards were subsequently used to launder fraud proceeds in Georgia and Florida 
that coincided with travel by Thomas, consistent with a pattern observed in the 
investigation when he traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada just prior to his arrest.  
 Since there is probable cause to believe Thomas has committed new 
federal offenses while on release, there is a rebuttable presumption that no 
combination of conditions will assure that Thomas will not pose a danger to the 
safety of the community by continuing to engage in criminal conduct, and 
Thomas has not rebutted the presumption.  In addition to presenting a danger to 
Case 1:20-cr-00296-JPB-CMS     Document 106     Filed 03/17/21     Page 2 of 3

 
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the community of continued criminal conduct, Thomas also presents a flight risk 
based on the substantial sum of cash obtained through the criminal conduct since 
his release that has not yet been recovered given the enhanced sentence he may 
face if convicted.  Moreover, Thomas’ conduct demonstrates that he is not likely 
to abide by any conditions of release given how quickly he engaged in the new 
criminal conduct described in the declaration of Special Agent Stites following 
his release on bond. 
 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the government’s 
motion for detention is granted; the bond previously granted the defendant is 
revoked; the defendant shall be detained without bond; and the defendant is 
hereby committed to the custody of the United States Marshal. 
IT IS SO ORDERED, this 17th day of MARCH, 2021. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Case 1:20-cr-00296-JPB-CMS     Document 106     Filed 03/17/21     Page 3 of 3

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