On two recent occasions, a local man made purchases at a Gulfport convenience store using $100 bills that he had made, police said.
According to court documents, in each instance, the man received change in real money from a clerk at TLC Food Mart located at 2822 Beach Boulevard.
The first incident occurred on April 19 at 9 a.m. when the suspect purchased two packs of cigarettes, said Gulfport Detective Sergeant Thomas Woodman, the department’s public information officer. The second time was on April 20 at 10:12 a.m. and police records do not show exactly what was purchased.
Billie Ray Morgan II, 49, of Gulfport was arrested by St. Petersburg Police on the morning of April 25 for two drug-related charges, said Woodman. Once Morgan was in custody, Gulfport Police added two Uttering Forged Bills felonies.
Woodman said Gulfport Police have been working with the Secret Service Task Force and St. Petersburg Police for several months on the printing and using counterfeit currency case.
The Gulfport Police report says the forged bills are “not very good quality,” said Woodman. “The first one was real thin with a blue line down it. The second one is poor printing quality.”
When anyone thinks they have a forged bill in their possession, they can contact law enforcement, he said.
“Most stores usually have a pen that they can mark a bill with that indicates whether or not it’s counterfeit,” said Woodman.
Court records show Morgan is awaiting trial on three felony charges in addition to violation of probation on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.
Each forgery charge is a felony in the third degree with a possible prison term not to exceed five years. The possession of Oxycodone hydrochloride without a prescription drug charge is also a third-degree felony with the same possible penalty.