Altha couple accused of spending spree with ex’s checking account

A couple from Altha are behind bars, accused of using a bank account belonging to the woman’s former boyfriend without his permission. Jessica Jemison, 31, has been charged with criminal use of personal identification and larceny. Jerad Britt Lipford, 25, is charged with uttering a forged instrument and larceny.According to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Jemison’s ex-boyfriend contacted authorities back in September to report someone had been accessing his cell phone account, changing his phone number and adding lines. He suspected Jemison, who he had been in a relationship with for 12 years until a breakup back in April. The man returned to the Sheriff’s Office Oct. 6 to report he had been working in Pennsylvania and was notified to appear in court for worthless checks on a bank account he had not been using. He said he confronted Jemison about his checkbook he believed she had back in April, but she refused to return it.Sgt. Jared Nichols investigated and learned that two of the checks on the account had been written to Shelton’s Store and were used by Lipford back in August. One was written for $69 and another for nearly $82, both for gas and beer purchases. On each occasion, the check was already signed and the driver’s license number had been written on the check. Lipford, who reportedly resides with Jemison at his Blackbottom Road home, was seen driving a vehicle fitting the description of Jemison’s car on each visit to the store.Further investigation revealed several purchases on the account in June, July, August and September at area stores, along with two PayPal transactions in Jemison’s name. The purchases on the man’s account totaled nearly $500 and resulted in $245 in overdraft fees. Jemison was booked into the Calhoun County Jail Oct. 12 and given a conditional release the following day. Lipford remained in custody at press time.