Culpeper man arrested for counterfeiting after bill smudges in store clerk's hand

BY DONNIE JOHNSTON

Date published: 9/8/2007

BY DONNIE JOHNSTON

If you're going to print counterfeit money--which we don't recommend--at least let the ink dry before you try to spend the bills.

An 18-year-old Culpeper man is accused to being too hasty in spending a $100 bill that smudged when the clerk accepted it.

According to Lt. Chris Settle of the Culpeper town police, the incident happened about 3:30 a.m. Thursday at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Culpeper.

Police were alerted after a man approached the cashier to purchase a BB gun, which he paid for with the $100 bill.

"The clerk took the bill but it didn't feel right," Settle said. "Then the ink smeared."

Not wanting to risk a confrontation at that point, the clerk completed the sale and then called police.

Officer Luther Snow responded and was able to locate the customer, who was still in the store, Settle said.

The man "gave several stories about where the bill came from, one being that he found it on the side of the road," Settle said.

Snow arrested Lamar Frederick Poles and charged him with one count of forgery and one count of uttering a fake bank note. He was held without bond pending his first court appearance.

Settle said the $100 bill was apparently printed using a home computer.

"It was a bad computer job," he added. "You could see the name of the paper company when you held it up to the light. I don't think the U.S. Treasury prints them that way."

Wal-Mart recovered the BB gun, Settle said.

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Date published: 9/8/2007