Georgia Man Plead to Conspiracy to Manufacture and Pass Counterfeit Currency

Contact Person: Bill Day (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Austin Lee, age 21, of Dallas, Georgia; Morris O. Mega, age 31, of Smyrna, Georgia; and Edward N. Pope, age 24, of Roswell, Georgia each have entered a guilty plea in federal court in Columbia, to conspiracy to manufacture, possess and pass counterfeit currency, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.  United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia accepted the guilty pleas and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence reports which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Lee, Mega and Pope and another individual manufactured counterfeit $20 Federal Reserve Notes in Dallas, Georgia, in October 2013, then travelled to North Augusta, S.C.  Along the way they passed the counterfeit at various restaurants. Once in North Augusta, Lee purchased an I-pad at a Walmart using $500.00 in counterfeit $20's. The defendants then travelled to Lexington, S.C., where Lee was arrested trying to purchase another I-Pad at another Walmart. The investigation revealed that the defendants had passed 107 counterfeit notes in 6 states resulting in losses of more than $6,000.00.

Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty for conspiracy to manufacture, possess and pass counterfeit currency is imprisonment for 5 years and/or a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by agents of the Lexington Police Department and the United States Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II of the Columbia is prosecuting the case.

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