SPRINGFIELD, MO – A transient counterfeiter with a knack for deception is headed to federal prison after admitting to flooding businesses across the country with fake $100 bills. Stuart E. Thurber, 56, was sentenced to two years and six months behind bars today, a penalty exceeding sentencing guidelines, for his elaborate scheme. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes.
Thurber, who lived out of a Dodge Dakota pickup and travel trailer, wasn’t just printing money – he was meticulously recycling it. From January 2014 to June 2016, he “washed” the ink off genuine bills, then used a portable computer setup – three laptops, two hard drives, and two color printers – to recreate them as convincing counterfeit $100s. He then passed these bills to unsuspecting businesses in Missouri, Nevada, and California, living a nomadic life funded by fraud.
The scheme began to unravel on April 5, 2016, when Mountain View, Missouri police officers caught Thurber passing fake currency. A search of his truck and trailer revealed the full scope of his operation. Investigators quickly determined he’d manufactured and circulated at least 93 counterfeit bills within the Western District of Missouri alone. Victims included Dollar General and Wal-Mart stores in Mountain View, Southern Supply in Springfield, and another Dollar General location in West Plains.
But Thurber didn’t just try to hide the evidence of his crime; he tried to hide his identity. At the time of his arrest, he falsely claimed to be a citizen of New Zealand and presented a counterfeit identification card bearing the name “David Turnbull.” The attempt at evasion failed, and he eventually pleaded guilty on September 6, 2016, to possessing electronic images for the purpose of counterfeiting.
Today’s sentencing reflects more than just time served. Judge Wimes also ordered Thurber to pay $9,000 in restitution to the businesses he defrauded. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich prosecuted the case, a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Secret Service, and police departments from Mountain View, Ozark, and West Plains, Missouri. The investigation demonstrates a coordinated effort to shut down a cross-state counterfeiting operation.
Thurber’s life on the road, fueled by illicit gains, is over. He’ll now trade his travel trailer for a federal prison cell, a stark reminder that even the most mobile criminals can’t outrun the law. The case underscores the Secret Service’s ongoing commitment to combating financial crimes and protecting the integrity of the U.S. currency.
Related Federal Cases
- Stuart E. Thurber, Counterfeiting Scheme, USA 2023 · Missouri
- Michael Keefe White, Bank Fraud, Missouri 2024 · Missouri
- Michael James Butler, $6.6M K2 Conspiracy, Missouri 2016 · Georgia
- Shawn Michael Browning, Synthetic Cannabinoid Trafficking, MO 2024 · Missouri
- Michael E. Ford, Methamphetamine Trafficking, MO 2024 · Missouri
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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