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Press Release

Florence Resident Sentenced in Federal Court for Manufacturing and Passing Counterfeit Money

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina ---- Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Gary Jerome Smart, age 26, of Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Florence for conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit money, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.  United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, sentenced Smart to 20 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Smart was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and pass counterfeit $100 and $50 bills in multiple states including South Carolina and North Carolina.  This conspiracy, which began in 2015, included at least nine codefendants who were responsible for producing and passing over $100,000 in counterfeit money. 

Smart was directly involved in making counterfeit at various locations, including residences in Florence.  In January 2017, he also passed counterfeit $100 bills at businesses in Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina.      

The case was investigated by agents of United States Secret Service with the assistance of the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office prosecuted the case.

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Contact

Lance Crick (864) 282-2105

Updated August 8, 2018

Topic
Financial Fraud