Owasso Police Arrest Teen For Passing Counterfeit $50 Bill

Owasso Police have arrested a man for passing a counterfeit bill and are now checking to see if he's connected to a rash of counterfeit bills appearing at local businesses recently.

Nicholas Dewayne Sanders, 19, was taken into custody late Monday night after police say he tried to use a counterfeit $50 bill at a gas station.

A clerk at Murphy's USA at 12107 East 96th Street North called Owasso Police just before 11 p.m. She said Sanders tried to buy two cigars with a $50 bill that "did not feel real" and had no security strip.

4/23/2012 Related Story: Fake Money Hits Owasso Businesses

Sanders told police he'd received the bill as change at a Tulsa Walmart but that he couldn't remember which one. Arresting Officer Luke Hubble said he smelled the odor of marijuana on Sanders and found a small bag of a "green leafy substance" in his jeans.

Sanders was also carrying a knife and a tablet of Xanax, according the arrest report.

He was booked into Tulsa County Jail Tuesday morning for possession of counterfeit money with intent to circulate, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled drug and public intoxication.

Public Information Officer Nick Boatman said the Owasso Police Department was investigating to see if Sanders is part of the group that is making the counterfeit money.

"We already know he passed the counterfeit," Boatman said.

Boatman said most of the counterfeit bills have been either $20 or $100 denominations. He released a list of dates and locations where the counterfeit bills have been passed.

• Kum-N-Go, 10603 East 86th Street North on March 13
• Walmart Super Center, 12101 East 96th Street North on April 3
• McDonalds, 7590 North Owasso Expressway on April 5
• El Tequila, 12500 East 86th Street North on April 12
• Braums, 11503 East 76th Street North on April 13
• Walmart Super Center, 12101 East 96th Street North on April 16
• QuikTrip, 11502 East 76th Street North on April 22
• Murphy's USA 12107 East 96th Street North on April 23