VALDOSTA, GA – Jonathan Moody, 25, of Nashville, Georgia, is looking at serious federal time after admitting to flooding the Valdosta area with fake money. Moody entered a guilty plea on July 31, 2013, to two counts of counterfeiting United States currency, a scheme that cost local businesses real dollars.
According to court documents, Moody knowingly passed counterfeit $100 and $20 bills, systematically hitting merchants in the Valdosta area. The operation wasn’t about getting rich quick; it was about exploiting honest business owners. He’d make purchases with the bogus bills and pocket the legitimate change – a calculated and brazen act of theft.
The plea was accepted by Senior United States District Judge Hugh Lawson during a hearing in Valdosta. United States Attorney Michael J. Moore for the Middle District of Georgia, is prosecuting the case, and isn’t showing Moody any leniency. This isn’t a victimless crime; it’s a direct hit to the pockets of hardworking people.
The investigation, a joint effort between the United States Secret Service and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, uncovered the extent of Moody’s operation. Agents tracked the circulation of the fake bills, eventually leading back to Moody. Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. McCullers is leading the prosecution, building a solid case against the counterfeiter.
Moody’s sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2013, also in Valdosta. He’s facing a hefty penalty: up to twenty (20) years imprisonment on each of the two counts, and a potential fine of $250,000.00 per count. That’s a steep price for playing fast and loose with the nation’s currency.
Anyone with information regarding similar counterfeit activity is urged to contact the United States Secret Service or their local law enforcement agency. For media inquiries regarding this case, Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office, can be reached at (478) 621-2602. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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