A Macon, Georgia resident has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that caused millions of dollars in losses at a local financial institution. Ronnie Atkinson, 57, received an 84-month sentence followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was also ordered to pay $3,357,073.21 in restitution.
Alan Childs, 60, of Gray, Georgia—who previously served as the Market President for the Gray branch of Morris Bank—was also implicated in the scheme. Childs was sentenced on September 17, 2025 to twelve months and one day in prison and must pay $3,094,200.98 in restitution after admitting guilt to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell presided over both cases. Federal sentences do not allow for parole.
“The defendant conspired with others to defraud a Gray, Georgia, bank branch, costing a small business and causing harm to many,” said U.S. Attorney William R “Will” Keyes. “These types of financial schemes have a negative ripple effect in the community and will not be tolerated by our office. We will continue to work with law enforcement to hold fraudsters accountable.”
“This case shows how greed-driven fraud schemes can devastate small businesses and undermine trust in our financial system,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Mr. Atkinson exploited personal relationships and falsified records to secure millions in illegal loans, and today’s sentence holds him accountable for that harm.”
Court documents show that from March 2018 through August 2022 Childs held lending authority up to $500,000 per customer relationship at Morris Bank’s Gray branch; larger loans required higher-level approval from the Senior Credit Officer.
Atkinson operated a timber-harvesting company and first secured a loan from Morris Bank through Childs’ assistance in March 2018 for equipment purchases. By June 2019 he reached his lending cap and his loans were downgraded due to risk concerns.
Starting August 2019 until May 2022 Atkinson arranged for friends and relatives to take out additional loans on his behalf so he could bypass borrowing limits without necessary approvals—a fact known by Childs at the time.
The fraudulent activity included submitting fake bills of sale for goods never purchased or sold; Atkinson instructed some supposed sellers merely to cash checks and hand over funds directly or via relatives rather than complete legitimate transactions. Some checks were cashed with or without listed payees present even though those individuals had no actual involvement.
In total Morris Bank issued 57 loans connected with this conspiracy resulting in losses between $1.5 million and $3.5 million.
The FBI conducted the investigation into these offenses while Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted the case.
