The authorities have arrested a suspect that they believe used the printer at a library to create counterfeit money, and allege that it was crafted with the intention of selling on the internet.
When a landlady in New Port Richie was allegedly approached by one of her tenants, she claimed he told her that he used the printer at the New Port Richie Public Library to create fake money for the heck of it, and she purported that he had given her a couple of the counterfeit $5 bills. She additionally reported that she saw several sheets of paper on the man’s bedroom floor with printing that resembled legal tender.
The woman told her tenant that she would be notifying the police and he reportedly rushed to gather the alleged evidence and left the premises.
When a Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy responded to the report and went to the home of the tenant, identified as 29-year-old Levy Newberry, they reported that he displayed indications of nervousness such as sweating and behaving anxiously.
Upon questioning the suspect, the deputy alleged that Newberry disclosed that he had purchased a package of paper made for printing resumes from Walmart and used a template that he discovered on Snapchat to print what he reportedly called, “legal printable money.” The deputy also recorded that Newberry told him he had gathered the papers and thrown them into a sewer drain.
Newberry allegedly told the deputy he found someone on Facebook that offered to purchase the fraudulent bank notes, but no reports of a transaction taking place have been discovered.
Newberry was taken into custody and charged with felony forgery, and he is being detained in the Land O’Lakes jail without bail.
If you or someone you love is suspected of forgery, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.