JACKSON, MS – A Rankin County woman is headed to federal prison after being caught peddling fake cash across the county. Mary Glassmire Sessums, 43, was sentenced to 12 months and one day behind bars, followed by two years of supervised release, for her role in a counterfeit currency operation. The sentence was handed down in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
The scheme unraveled in November 2019, when Rankin County residents began reporting suspicious activity at local garage sales. A man and a woman – later identified as Sessums and her accomplice, Purvis Dustin Ward – were using counterfeit United States currency to make purchases. A sharp-eyed resident snapped a photo of their vehicle and provided the license plate number and a description to law enforcement.
Officers with the Pelahatchie Police Department quickly located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. In plain view, they spotted what appeared to be the fake bills. Both Sessums and Ward were immediately arrested for possession of counterfeit currency. Several victims then positively identified the pair as the individuals who had defrauded them with the bogus cash.
The investigation didn’t stop there. Rankin County deputies secured a search warrant for Ward’s residence, uncovering a full-blown counterfeit operation. They seized not only more counterfeit currency, but also uncut sheets of the fake bills, two computers, three printers, and the specialized inks and paints used to produce the fraudulent money. The operation was clearly designed to flood the local economy with fake cash.
Sessums pled guilty on March 13, 2024, to possessing and passing counterfeit currency. Her partner in crime, Purvis Dustin Ward, previously admitted guilt to one count of making counterfeit currency and one count of possessing and passing it. Ward received a harsher sentence: 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Resident Agent in Charge Kyle Smith of the United States Secret Service announced the sentencing. The case was a collaborative effort, investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, the Pelahatchie Police Department, and the Brandon Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kabah Ealy and Dave Fulcher prosecuted the case, bringing these counterfeiters to justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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