Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that James Christopher Barrett, a/k/a Harry Patterson, has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence, SC, to conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit currency of the United States, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell of Florence accepted the guilty plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that between July and December 2014, Barrett and other individuals manufactured $20.00, $50.00 and $100.00 counterfeit bills. Barrett was also caught passing some of the counterfeit $100.00 bills at various businesses in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty for conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit currency is imprisonment for 5 years and/or a fine of $250,000.00
The case was investigated by agents of the Myrtle Beach Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
