Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
Two Sylacauga residents, Rossie Windham and Dylan Jemison, have been sentenced for their involvement in a scheme to sell counterfeit precious metals. According to court documents and testimony, the pair conspired with a third individual, identified only as Minor-1 due to his age at the time of the conspiracy, targeting victims across Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
The fraudulent activity began in April 2023 when Minor-1 advertised gold and silver coins and bars on Facebook Marketplace. He claimed these items were inherited from a relative and offered them below market value to raise money for a truck and college expenses. Between April and August 2023, Windham assisted the minor by communicating with victims to arrange sales and sometimes accompanied him during transactions where cash was exchanged for what appeared to be genuine precious metals. On one occasion, Windham conducted the transaction himself.
In August 2023, Windham ceased involvement with the minor who then recruited Dylan Jemison into the scheme. In October 2023, a victim in Foley, Alabama discovered that gold bars purchased from Jemison were counterfeit. This led to a sting operation by the Foley Police Department which resulted in Jemison's arrest when he attempted another sale of fake gold.
Investigations revealed that over $120,000 had been fraudulently obtained from victims by Windham, Jemison, and the minor. Some victims received reimbursement from Windham during the conspiracy; however, both Windham and Jemison were ordered by the court to pay $87,000 in restitution to seven unreimbursed victims. They also agreed to forfeit their illicit proceeds to the United States.
The case was investigated by the Foley Police Department alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation with special assistance from the Foley Coin Shop. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar prosecuted on behalf of the United States.
