U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris | U.S. Department of Justice
A federal jury has found Jacob R. Kirkley, a resident of Bismarck, Illinois, guilty on five counts related to counterfeiting U.S. currency. The verdict was delivered on December 4, 2024. Kirkley is scheduled for sentencing on May 2, 2025, at the federal courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Kirkley sold counterfeit currency to an undercover officer from the Illinois State Police on multiple occasions between December 2023 and January 2024. On December 7, 2023, he sold $1,000 of counterfeit currency for $250. He made additional sales of $1,000 and $5,000 in counterfeit currency on December 13 and January 8 respectively. A search warrant executed by agents from the United States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group at his residence led to the discovery of more counterfeit money and equipment used for counterfeiting.
Kirkley's previous conviction occurred in 2022 when he was found guilty of manufacturing and passing counterfeit U.S. currency after being caught with over $20,000 in fake bills in his truck. He had also passed counterfeit money at several locations including Carnaghi’s Towing and McDonald’s in Danville, Illinois, as well as Dollar General in Tilton, Illinois. Additional counterfeiting tools were discovered in his hotel room at the Budget Inn in Danville at that time. For these offenses, he served a prison sentence of 27 months followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Currently held by the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing, Kirkley faces up to twenty years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 for each count.
The investigation into this case was carried out by the Springfield Division of the United States Secret Service along with Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group and Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government during the trial.
