Woodstock Man Charged With 16 Counts of Identity Theft

A Woodstock man has been arrested after a year long investigation into fraudulent activities involving an airline company. 

Rashan Lawhorne was arrested on Wednesday by officers with the Woodstock Police Department and remains behind bars at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on a $110,000 bond. Lawhorne is charged with 16 counts of identity theft and one count of theft of services. Captain Kevin Culpepper with the more charges against Lawhorne are pending.

The Woodstock Police Department's Criminal Investigation Unit launched an investigation after a complaint made by Air Tran Airways in 2011. The company informed police of possible fraudulent activities in the purchase of tickets from the airline, according to a press release from the police department. 

After the initial report, investigators discovered Lawhorne allegedly used compromised credit cards to purchase airline tickets and offered them to travelers at a cheaper rate. 

Travelers were given a reservation number, which they used to print a boarding pass to fly with the airline. Between April and August 2011, Air Train estimate it lost at least $30,000 due to Lawhorne's activities. Along with the decreased revenue for the airline, the scheme also compromised the security of hundreds of credit card holders, some of which who live as far away as South Dakota.

Along with Woodstock police, several federal law enforcement agencies, the Cherokee County District Attorney's office, banks, credit card companies and other airline companies also participated in the investigation.