BREAKING: Travel agent facing seven new local charges

Jefferson County — A travel agent charged with theft in Jefferson and Chambers Counties is now jailed in Jefferson County on more than a half dozen additional theft charges.

Mary Emily Lockard-Furry, 39, was jailed Wednesday afternoon in Jefferson County, according to Capt. Crystal Holmes.

She’s facing three new theft warrants in Jefferson County for Theft of Property $2,500-$30,000, all related to her travel agency, TraveLuxe, LLC. In addition, Lockard-Furry has four warrants for her arrest in Hardin County.

We’re told she has an additional warrant in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.

A judge is expected to arraign Lockard-Furry and set bond Thursday morning.

In July, she was charged with Theft of Property $2,500-$30,000 in Chambers County. She surrendered in Hardin County.

Lockard-Furry was arrested June 18 on the same charge in Jefferson County and bonded out the next day. The Jefferson County grand jury indicted her on the Theft of Property charge.

The charge is a State Jail Felony. If convicted, she could face up to 2 years in a state jail and up to a $4,000 fine.

Attorney Lane Walker Jr. has filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of complainants who allege they paid for travel arrangements, but learned those arrangements weren’t made or weren’t fully made.

They asked for refunds. Some say they’ve received them while others say they’ve received partial refunds.

In previous KFDM reporting, Capt. Crystal Holmes told us when Lockard-Furry was hired to make travel arrangements for individuals and families seeking travel assistance for vacations, primarily out of country, Furry would often request payment up front, then make initial reservations to hold a hotel room, for example, but not follow through with the financial portion of the travel arrangements.

Instead, according to the Sheriff’s Office investigation, Furry would pocket the money, leaving her customers without any type of secure reservation, and in some instances, stranded out of the country without any of the promised reservations or accommodations. Multiple people began to come forward requesting help.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, began investigating.

An initial case was presented to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, resulting in the issuance of an arrest warrant for Furry.

The course of the investigation further led detectives to Emily Furry’s home in Bevil Oaks, where deputies carried out a search warrant Monday, June 17.

Detectives and Fugitive Warrant Division Deputies arrested Furry on Tuesday, June 18 on a charge of Theft by Deception, a State Jail Felony. She was taken into custody at a residence in rural Jefferson County. Furry was transported to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility where bond is pending arraignment.

On this same date, Mary Emily Lockard-Furry’s case was presented to the Jefferson County Grand Jury and she was indicted on the charge.

This investigation is ongoing, with other individuals claiming they suffered loss as a result of Furry’s actions. Detectives with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office will continue their work to assist them.

If you feel you have been a victim of Furry, the Sheriff’s Office asks that you please contact your local law enforcement agency to make a report.

They ask that you then contact the JCSO Criminal Investigations Division (409) 835-8411.