A brazen counterfeit scheme has been brought to justice, with an Ohio man pleading guilty to passing fake $100 bills at Western Pennsylvania stores.
Brian Maurice Carr, 30, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy in the Western District of Pennsylvania, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Brady.
The scheme involved Carr and his co-conspirators obtaining counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in the denomination of $100 in Ohio and transporting the fake bills into Western Pennsylvania. They then attempted to pass the counterfeit notes at various retail store locations in the region, receiving legitimate currency as change.
Carr’s guilty plea was entered before Chief United States District Court Joy Flowers Conti, who scheduled sentencing for August 20, 2018, at 3:30 p.m.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service, the Scott Township Police Department, the North Fayette Police Department, and the Bethel Park Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the conviction.
The case highlights the importance of vigilance in preventing and detecting counterfeiting schemes. Law enforcement agencies and retailers must remain vigilant in identifying and reporting suspicious activity to prevent the spread of counterfeit currency.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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