Allegedly taking money for game tickets that he didn't deliver has landed an Augusta, Georgia, man in trouble again. The man, 42, is already on probation for 30 years after being convicted of perpetrating a fraud involving a 2010 Ponzi scheme. Now, a Columbia County, Georgia, court has ruled he will stay in jail until his trial after a preliminary hearing showed that sufficient evidence exists to try the case.

In this case, the defendant has been charged with theft by deception. He allegedly took money from a man who was seeking to buy football tickets to the Southeastern Conference football championship game in Atlanta and produced a bill that purported to be from the SEC.

That sale was made after the man tried to sell the tickets to another buyer for more than $6,000, but that buyer backed out because the man would neither put the tickets in the buyer's name nor accept a credit card. Investigators in Columbia County said the SEC did not cash the check and called the invoice a forgery.

The defendant is no stranger to charges pertaining to sporting events.

In 2008 he was accused of taking more than $500,000 from investors. He allegedly promised to put together event packages of hotel rooms and tickets for buyers interested in attending concerts and events such as the Kentucky Derby or the Masters Tournament. He pleaded guilty to 15 theft and forgery charges and was ordered to pay $442,500 in restitution, in addition to serving probation.

What's important in this case is that the new allegations be considered independently of the past conviction. Even though he has been convicted in the past, the man is still afforded the same presumption of innocence as everyone accused of committing a crime.

Source: Augusta Chronicle, "Augusta man turned to fraud schemes again, police say," Valerie Rowell, Jan. 3, 2012