ROCKINGHAM —Another suspect in an ongoing financial fraud investigation by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has been served — the same day he was released from prison.
Hillard J. Weatherford IV, 46, of Rockingham, is accused of ordering a debit card to “receive financial benefit” from the account of the late John T. Grant — who passed away on Dec. 19, 2023 at the age of 98.
Weatherford also allegedly used Grant’s financial information and social security number to pay a bail bondsman to get out of jail.
A warrant for Weatherford’s arrest was issued Oct. 29, 2025 and he was served on Feb. 24.
Weatherford is charged with one felony count each of identity theft, financial card theft, and obtaining property by false pretenses, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession or manufacture of a fraudulent ID.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail on a $50,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court March 12.
Weatherford is at least the eighth suspect charged in the investigation.
The sheriff’s office first charged Mary Elizabeth Collins and Laura Gail Cox in connection to the fraud investigation in late July. Since then, at least five others — Tiffany Michelle Freeman, Joseph Harrison Potter, Kimberly Lynn Cox, Jessica Louise Ennis and Savannah Mills — have been charged in the case.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Weatherford was convicted of felony breaking and entering in April of 2025. He was released on Feb. 24 and is on parole until Nov. 21.
Other prior convictions include:
1997 - misdemeanor larceny
2000 - manufacturing a Schedule IV controlled substance
2003 - injury to personal property, injury to real property
2004 - cheating property or services
2006 - cheating property or services (two counts), assault on a female
2007 - breaking and entering vending machines
2010 - felony larceny
2014 - being a habitual felon, obtaining property by false pretenses, misdemeanor larceny
2020 - being a habitual felon, credit card theft
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
