TABOR CITY — Columbus County deputies are still searching for a suspect who allegedly used counterfeit money to purchase a vehicle from an elderly man earlier this month.
According to Sgt. Drew Zehnder’s report, the incident occurred May 13 on Peacock Road, where Darrel Randolph Daniels, 85, told deputies he accepted 18 counterfeit $100 bills in exchange for his 2000 Lincoln Continental, valued at $1,800. The suspect, described only as a Black male, fled before officers arrived.
Investigators recovered the counterfeit bills and confirmed they were non‑authentic U.S. currency, consistent with recent regional cases involving fake notes printed on bleached paper stock. The vehicle has not yet been recovered.
The case remains under investigation as obtaining property by false pretenses, a felony under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14‑100, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Because counterfeit money was used, deputies have also notified the U.S. Secret Service, which handles federal currency‑fraud investigations.
Sheriff’s officials said counterfeit‑bill reports have increased statewide, with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety noting a 22 percent rise in fake‑currency complaints since 2024. Residents are urged to inspect bills for texture, color‑shifting ink, and watermark inconsistencies before completing private sales.
Anyone with information about the suspect or the missing Lincoln Continental is asked to contact the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office at 910‑642‑6551 or submit a tip through Submit‑A‑Tip.
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