A Greenwood couple was arrested Wednesday after allegedly passing counterfeit money at Wal-Mart stores in Mexico and Skowhegan.
Stefan McIntyre, 26, allegedly bought and returned an Internet router using a mix of legitimate money and counterfeit currency Tuesday at the Skowhegan store, then tried to do the same thing again Wednesday, said Detective Sgt. Josh King of the Skowhegan Police Department.
Both McIntyre and Chani Greiner, 31, allegedly spent counterfeit money Sunday at the Mexico Wal-Mart, said Mexico police Chief Roy Hodsdon. Both are charged with aggravated forgery in Oxford County, and McIntyre is charged with aggravated forgery in Somerset County.
McIntyre bought a $300 router at the Mexico store with what police say was counterfeit money, and Greiner allegedly spent about $80 in counterfeit money on groceries, Hodsdon said.
On Tuesday, McIntyre also bought a router at the Skowhegan store, allegedly using a mix of counterfeit and real money, police said. He returned the router the same day for cash, and store employees realized afterward that the money was counterfeit, King said.
On Wednesday, employees recognized McIntyre when he returned to the store to buy another router.
“They were kind of on the lookout, and when he passed the money, they felt it and it didn’t feel genuine,” King said.
Wal-Mart had alerted police in both communities to reports of counterfeit money, and as a result of McIntyre’s arrest Wednesday in Skowhegan, charges also were brought in Oxford County, Hodsdon said.
The Mexico Police Department searched the couple’s Greenwood home, seizing $100 in what police said was counterfeit money as well as computer equipment police believe was used to produce the money. Police also found about 15 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana, 2 to 3 grams of cocaine, $4,177 cash and an SKS semi-automatic rifle. There are further pending charges in Oxford County, Hodsdon said.
McIntyre and Greiner are from New Hampshire but have been living in Maine at least since the winter, he said.
Under Maine law, a charge of forgery includes making or altering a written document. The charge can be aggravated if it includes the manipulation of government documents such as money, stamps or public records.
The use of counterfeit money in Maine has become more prevalent as drug abuse increases here, Hodsdon said.
“If anyone’s paying in a large amount of cash, you need to be cognizant of what you’re taking,” he said. “For instance, the $300 in $20 bills in this case all had the same serial number. Check serial numbers, check the texture of the money and the color.”
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