Soldier Busted in Duluth For Food-Stamp Fraud

DULUTH, GA -- A U.S. Army soldier has been arrested on charges that he was illegally paying cash for cards issued by the state government's food-stamp program.

Eugene Clark, 39, of Columbus, is charged with financial-transaction card fraud after an undercover operation by Gwinnett County Police.

According to a news release, Gwinnett Police received a tip in February that someone was advertising on Craigslist to buy EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards for cash.

A detective was assigned to the case and conducted an internet search, finding several such ads presumed to be by the same person.

The detective contacted the buyer, identified as Clark, posing as someone seeking to sell his EBT card for cash. The suspect offered to make a deal with the undercover detective to make multiple such transactions as new cards were obtained, police said.

The alleged offer was that Clark would pay $300 in cash for a $600 EBT card.

The detective arranged to meet the suspect at a grocery store on Sugarloaf Parkway in unincorporated Duluth.

On Friday, March 18, the detective met with Clark and completed an initial transaction, police said. When Clark arrived, the detective noticed he was wearing a sweatshirt with his Army unit's information on it.

After that first transaction, police contacted Army officials at Fort Benning, where Clark's active-duty status was confirmed, police said.

Police say two more undercover transactions with Clark were conducted, on April 1 and April 22, at the same grocery store.

Following the April 22 transaction, Clark was placed under arrest and transported to Gwinnett County Jail, where he was bonded out the following day.

"Fraud utilizing government funds will not be tolerated," Gwinnett Police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera said in a statement. "This criminal act should not reflect poorly on the U.S. Army, but onto Eugene Clark himself."

(Photo courtesy Gwinnett County Police)