Carr Announces Indictment in Counterfeit Coupon Scheme Targeting RaceTrac, Family Dollar, and Parker’s Kitchen

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that his Organized Retail Crime Unit has obtained a new indictment charging Michael Justin Williams in Douglas County. 

As asserted in the indictment, between June 10, 2025, and July 9, 2025, Williams engaged in a pattern of forgeries targeting RaceTrac Inc., Family Dollar Stores, Inc., and The Parker Holding Company, LLC (Parker’s Kitchen) locations on 20 separate occasions. This includes stores in Mableton, Lithia Springs, Douglasville, Norcross, Forest Park, Atlanta, McDonough, East Point, Riverdale, Stone Mountain, Bogart, Pooler and Metter. 

Specifically, the defendant is alleged to have made, altered, and possessed fraudulent coupons that purported to provide an unauthorized discount of $8 off one pack of Newport cigarettes – reducing the cost to below $2 per pack.

“If we want to remain the No. 1 state for business, then we have to address the rising threat of organized retail crime in our communities,” said Carr. “This is a multi-billion-dollar problem for retailers in all industries, and it’s leading to increased costs for Georgia consumers. That’s exactly why we created Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit, and we will ensure that criminals are held accountable.”

This case was investigated by asset protection teams with RaceTrac Inc., Family Dollar Stores Inc., and The Parker Holding Company, LLC, as well as various law enforcement agencies, including the Douglas Police Department and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, along with the help of the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit.

Douglas County Indictment  

On Feb. 18, 2026, the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit presented evidence to a Douglas County Grand Jury, resulting in the indictment* of Michael Justin Williams. The specific charges against the defendant are listed below. 

• 1 count of Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act 
• 6 counts of Forgery  

A copy of the indictment can be found here . No further information about the investigation or the indictment may be released at this time by the Attorney General’s Office. 

About the Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit  

In 2024, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia’s first statewide Organized Retail Crime Unit. 

The Organized Retail Crime Unit works with retailers and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the criminal networks that are engaged in recurring thefts and acts of violence targeting businesses throughout the state. 

Specifically, Georgia businesses are estimated to lose over $3 billion to retail theft annually, including $1.6 billion in stolen goods and $326 million in lost tax revenue, along with 17,000 lost jobs. 

The Organized Retail Crime Unit is housed in the Attorney General’s Prosecution Division, which also includes Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, his Gang Prosecution Unit, and his White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit. 

*Members of the public should keep in mind that indictments contain only allegations against the individual against whom the indictment is sought. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it will be the government’s burden at trial to prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the allegations contained in the indictment.