Dana Leland, of Rhode Island, used fake $100 bills depicting Abraham Lincoln instead of Benjamin Franklin.
As any schoolchild, or really anyone who has ever handled money in their life, knows, Honest Abe’s visage graces the $5 bill.
According to police, the Central Falls man used the fake banknotes on three consecutive days to buy items such as socks worth less than $25 at a Target store in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.
Police caught up with Dana Leland on Wednesday in Rhode Island after an officer in his hometown recognized him from a surveillance photo released by law enforcement agencies, according to The Sun Chronicle.
Dana Leland, 29, was held on $1,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty in Attleboro District Court to three charges of uttering a counterfeit note and possession of a counterfeit note.
He reportedly has a record of similar crimes in Rhode Island. His attorney, Lynn Porecca, said her client has struggled with drug and alcohol problems and untreated mental health issues, and had a relapse.
Dana Leland is due back in court December 11.
Amazingly, this is not the first time that someone has tried to pass off a fake $100 bill with Abraham Lincoln’s face on it as the real thing.
In February 2008, a man was arrested in Mesa, Arizona, for doing just that while trying to buy a watch with two phony $100 note, KPHO-TV reported at the time.
The store owner tried to let the uninformed crook, 37-year-old Scott Martin, down easy, telling him that Lincoln is not on the $100 note, but the man became enraged, forcing the owner to Taser him.
While being treated by first responders, Scott Martin admitted that he had swallowed a bag of meth before going shopping.
