An employee with the Florida Department of Health has been arrested on grand theft charges, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Orlando Regional Operations Center on Tuesday arrested Tamika Teague, 34, of Orlando, and her husband, Ronald Teague, 34, on grand theft charges. Tamika Teague is an employee with the Florida Department of Health. Ronald Teague is currently an inmate at the Polk Correctional Institution.
The investigation began when the Florida Department of Corrections Officer of Inspector General contacted FDLE to request investigative assistance regarding suspicious activity related to inmate trust fund accounts. Investigators believe Ronald Teague instructed Tamika Teague to use stolen credit card information to deposit funds into his and other inmates’ trust fund accounts.
After the funds were deposited into inmate accounts, Ronald Teague and other inmates would either use the funds themselves or send the funds out via the Department of Corrections' check system.
The pair conducted 115 fraudulent credit card transactions using 25 stolen credit card numbers.
In total, $22,735 in fraudulent funds was deposited into 36 different inmate accounts, authorities said.
Ronald Teague received $7,000 in fraudulent credit card deposits into his trust fund account and $9,000 in fraudulent payments to his Securus inmate phone account.
During the same time period, Ronald Teague issued $14,900 to Tamika Teague through the check system.
Tamika Teague was booked into the Orange County Jail on $25,000 bond. Ronald Teague remains in custody at the Polk Correctional Institution.