Columbia City Man Arrested For Counterfeiting
NORTH WEBSTER — A Columbia City man was arrested for counterfeiting after exchanging money with a Good Samaritan in a North Webster convenience store last month.
Rocky D. O’Connell, 33, 108 E. Hanna St., Columbia City, is charged with counterfeiting, a level 6 felony.
According to officers of the North Webster Police Department, a cashier at the North Webster Circle K reported the passing of a counterfeit $100 bill in the store on March 7. The cashier told the police that a man came in and asked to break a $100 bill but that she told him there wasn’t enough money in the store to justify the transaction. Another customer in the store offered to break the bill.
After the exchange, the original owner of the $100 bill left and shortly after, the customer realized the money wasn’t genuine. Police talked to the duped customer on March 8, who turned over the fake bill. Police reported the bill was poorly made, and obviously counterfeit. O’Connell was identified in the store’s surveillance video and was seen leaving the store in a red car with another man, who police also identified.
On March 14, one of the investigating officers heard the name of the second man come over the radio as being part of a traffic stop. He drove to the scene and found the red car and O’Connell in the passenger’s seat. O’Connell admitted to the money exchange and told police he was homeless, had no job and no money.