Augusta, Georgia — A Papa John’s delivery driver called police early Monday morning after receiving a counterfeit $50 bill for a pizza order, leading to the arrest of 35-year-old Jamie Stokes. The incident unfolded around 2 a.m. on Dec. 29, when Stokes paid with what the driver quickly realized was fake money and alerted Richmond County deputies.
Deputies responded to the Hampton Avenue address where the pizza had been delivered. Within minutes, Stokes was taken into custody and charged with theft by deception, a misdemeanor offense under Georgia law. Deputies booked him into the Richmond County Jail on the charge before events took an unexpected turn later that same day.
Once in custody, law enforcement discovered that Stokes had an outstanding failure to appear warrant from Columbia County. That warrant meant he was wanted for missing a scheduled court appearance in an unrelated matter. Because of this, authorities transferred him to the Columbia County Jail Monday evening.
What caught attention beyond the charges was the stark difference in how Stokes looked in two separate booking photos taken on the same day. In the Richmond County photo, Stokes appeared wearing a wig, makeup, and long eyelashes, presenting an unconventional look compared with his second set of jail photos. In the Columbia County mugshots, he appeared without those items.
Officials noted that removable wigs are normally required to be taken off during the booking process, to ensure accurate identification and maintain booking standards. Richmond County authorities said they are now reviewing how the first mugshot came to include the wig.
Friends and neighbors speaking informally on social media described the arrest as unusual not because of the incident itself, but because of the photos circulating online showing the contrasting appearances. Some commenters called it a reminder of the unpredictable moments that can happen in everyday life in Augusta streets.
Stokes remains in custody in Columbia County on the failure-to-appear matter and the theft by deception charge. Court dates for his upcoming hearings have not been publicly listed as of this writing.
