St. Louis Man Sentenced for Passing Counterfeit Currency

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on March 26, 2015, Wade R. Buckner, 26, of St. Louis, MO, was sentenced to 9 days in prison, and 3 years of supervised release for Passing or Uttering Counterfeit Obligations or Securities, as charged in a one count indictment. Buckner was also ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment.

At his sentencing, Buckner admitted that he passed counterfeit United States currency at the Oz Nightclub located in Sauget, Illinois, on March 7, 2013. Buckner handed the bartender a $100 bill to purchase drinks. Immediately realizing the bill was fraudulent, the bartender ran water over it, and the ink began to run. Security escorted Buckner to the exit where he was apprehended by the authorities. Police found an addition $400 worth of counterfeit currency.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Sauget, Illinois, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hallock.