Police Arrest Woman In Dance Studio Fraud Case

Police arrested Wednesday a Charlotte woman accused of posing as a talent agent to steal money from families in the Triangle area.

Officials arrested 32-year-old Crystal Dawn Cockrell in Stanley, N.C., and she was transported to a detention center in Mecklenburg County.

In July, Chapel Hill police issued three warrants for obtaining property by false pretense for Cockrell, who police said ran talent scams in Charlotte and Chapel Hill.

On June 15, police said Cockrell acted as a representative for The Alexander Agency of Charlotte and held a dance audition for a movie that was to be filmed in Raleigh. About 250 children auditioned, and 150 were chosen.

Those chosen to be in the film were required to pay $55 to The Alexander Agency for a Screen Actors Guild worker's permit. Officials later discovered that a film was not being made and that there was no such thing as a Screen Actors Guild worker's permit.

Police also said Cockrell charged families in Chapel Hill for similar auditions at a dance studio.