A South Carolina inmates brazen attempt to buy his way out of jail with bogus cash has now landed him in even deeper legal trouble.
According to The Western Journal, 33-year-old Patrick Alexander had his bond set at $250 on a trespassing charge, as detailed in a March 16 release from the Chesterfield County Sheriffs Office. When his personal property was returned, Alexander produced what looked like a wad of cash, peeled off three $100 bills, handed them to the judge, and told the official he could keep the change.
The stunt quickly unraveled when the judge took a closer look at the supposed currency. The Judge advised Alexander that he could not keep the change and, while holding the money, noticed the color of the bills appeared unusual, the release stated.
The suspicious appearance prompted a more thorough inspection of the bills. Upon further inspection, he observed Chinese writing on the back of the currency.
A detention officer then used a counterfeit detection pen to test the notes, confirming what common sense already suggested. Alexander was informed that the currency was fake, and the Judge instructed the detention officer to hold the money as evidence, the release continued.
What began as a low-level trespassing case has now escalated into something more serious. In addition to the original charge, Alexander is now facing a forgery count, a reminder that attempts to game the justice system rarely end well.
This sort of brazen deception is not an isolated incident in todays increasingly permissive culture. Just last month, Felicia Howard of Kentucky allegedly tried to use 15 fake $100 bills to post bond for an inmate, according to KFVS.
In that case, the scheme collapsed almost immediately. The deputy jailer was instantly able to recognize the forgeries, which were mixed with real money, and Howard, 39, was charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
She was then released on a $1,000 cash bond, a twist that underscores how lenient policies can sometimes send mixed messages about accountability. While the counterfeit cash ploys by Alexander and Howard failed, their cases highlight a troubling willingness to undermine the rule of law with shameless fraud, even in the very halls of justice.
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