A Jonesboro man has been charged with first-degree forgery after police say he used fraudulent motion picture money at a local business.
Devrick Dotson was arrested on July 29 and later released on a $10,000 cash or surety bond, according to information provided by the Jonesboro Police Department and court records.
The incident reportedly occurred on July 21, when a police officer was dispatched to a business on South Caraway Road to investigate a completed forgery. An employee identified Dotson as the customer involved.
According to the affidavit, Dotson made purchases totaling $175, paying with several $20 bills. While counting the money, the cashier reportedly noticed that four of the bills were counterfeit. The affidavit states these fake bills were placed in the middle of genuine currency during the transaction. Investigators confirmed the counterfeit nature of the bills, which had the words "motion picture money" printed on them.
Dotson was taken into custody and booked into the Craighead County Detention Center before his release on bond. A Craighead County District Judge found probable cause to formally charge him with first-degree forgery.
Forgery in the first degree is a Class B felony in Arkansas, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $15,000 if convicted.
This investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released additional details about the case.