OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., Twentieth Judicial District

Madison and Rankin Counties

MEDIA RELEASE
For Release: For more information:
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 (601) 825-1472

Two Women Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Identity Theft in Rankin County

Rankin County – Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced that Judge
Dewey Arthur sentenced Sylyndrell Pugh and Samantha Wilson to both serve fifteen years in the Mississippi
Department of Corrections for their crimes of Identity Theft in Rankin County.

On February 17, 2023, the Flowood Police Department received a call regarding two females stealing a lady’s
purse inside the store of TJ Maxx at the Dogwood Shopping Center. Flowood Police responded to the scene,
obtained a description of the vehicle they were traveling in, quickly located the vehicle, and conducted a
traffic stop. During the traffic stop, officers searched the car and found several items of new merchandise
from Belk and Target. They also found purchase receipts, several gift cards, marijuana, and a wallet that did
not belong to the suspects. Officers searched Wilson and found a credit card belonging to the victim from TJ
Maxx and a driver’s license belonging to another individual. Both females were arrested and taken into
custody.

Shortly after the arrests, the Flowood Police Department received multiple reports from other victims claiming
their wallets were stolen while grocery shopping at Kroger and that their credit cards had been fraudulently
used at Belk and Target. Flowood investigators obtained surveillance video and found that the same suspects
were responsible for these thefts and fraudulent conduct. Additionally, Flowood investigators found that the
receipts, credit cards, and identification information found during the vehicle search belonged to the
victims.

“Sylyndrell Pugh and Samantha Wilson are career criminals with a history of fraudulent conduct all over the
United States,” stated District Attorney Bramlett. “We applaud the outstanding work of the officers and
investigators of the Flowood Police Department. The success of these two cases exemplifies what happens
when a community's citizens, retailers, and businesses work hand in hand with law enforcement.”

-MORE-
 OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
District Attorney John K. Bramlett, Jr., Twentieth Judicial District
Madison and Rankin Counties

PAGE 2: Pugh & Wilson – Identity Theft

DEFENDANTS

Name: Sylyndrell Pugh

Date of Birth: 05/04/1979

Name: Samantha Wilson

Date of Birth: 01/08/1973

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