Counterfeit Kingpin Xavier Sanders Gets 3 Years Probation

BECKLEY, W.Va. – In a move that will likely shock those who thought they could outsmart the system, Xavier Sanders, 24, of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been sentenced to three years of probation after serving five months in jail for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.

Sanders admitted to his role in a conspiracy to create and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 12, 2022, Sanders and co-defendants Jamarcus Harris and Crystal Wilks traveled with another individual from North Carolina to West Virginia. The trio passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Beckley, Fayetteville and Summersville.

Sanders and his co-conspirators rented a room that evening at a Summersville hotel, where they attempted to create new counterfeit United States currency. Sanders admitted that their counterfeiting process involved bleaching $1 bills, scanning a genuine $100 bill, and printing the scanned image on the bleached bills. It’s a process that, as we’ve seen time and time again, inevitably leads to law enforcement knocking on their door.

Harris, 33, and Wilks, 24, of Lenoir, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on October 13, 2023 to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Harris was sentenced on February 2, 2024, to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $800 in restitution. Wilks awaits sentencing, a stark reminder that not everyone gets off as easy as Sanders.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Secret Service. It’s clear that the team was able to piece together the evidence and bring these counterfeits to justice. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence, and Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Redmon, Andrew D. Isabell and Ryan Blackwell prosecuted the case.

The case serves as a stark reminder that creating and passing counterfeit currency is a serious offense, one that carries severe consequences. As we continue to see in cases like this, the consequences can be severe, and the sentences can be lengthy. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-54.