Crime & Safety

UPDATED: More Charges for former West Walton Booster Club President

Amber Nicole Dowell, 31, of Snellville, is expected to turn herself in Wednesday in connection with attempted fraud from Toys for Tots. Dowell was out on bond following charges last year in connection with alleged theft from the Loganville club.

UPDATE: In a synopsis of the case, Investigator B.T. Towley of the Gwinnett County Police Department said he was contacted by the United States Marine Corp in December of 2011 concerning Dowell. He said they advised him of a scenario developing where she was fraudulently attempting to pick up 500 toys from the Buford Toys for Tots distribution Center. She had originally asked for 1,000, representing herself as the representative for West Walton Football and Cheer. Some research by the organization established she was no longer a member of the club and was in fact facing charges as detailed below. Police let her arrive for the pickup and took photos. However, she was not able to leave with the toys.

"The appraised value was approximately $10.00 per toy, making the total value of toys Dowell was scheduled to pick up worth in excess of $5000.00. Early proactive efforts by Toys for Tots resulted in saving the toys from being distributed to an unauthorized recipient and allowed them to be given to actual needy children during the holidays," Towley wrote in his synopsis. As at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday, Dowell was not listed as being checked into Gwinnett County Detention Center.

, of Snellville, is again facing criminal charges relating to financial fraud – this time in connection with actions linked to Toys for Tots. Dowell is the former president of the in Loganville.

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Gwinnett County Police Public Information Officer Cpl. Ed Ritter said Dowell was charged Jan. 24, 2012, with Criminal Attempt and Financial ID Fraud. She was expected to turn herself in by 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

Dowell was last arrested on Nov. 4, 2011, following a joint investigation by the Snellville Police Department and the for allegedly stealing funds from West Walton Club. In that case, Dowell was charged with several charges of credit card fraud connected to funds missing from the West Walton football and cheerleading booster club. Dowell was currently out on $5,700 security bond on each of three credit card fraud charges. - long-time coordinator of West Walton Park - was not charged in the incident, but was moved to another park location at that time. He died in the days following after ingesting antifreeze.

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This latest investigation was conducted by the Gwinnett County Police Department. 


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