Cheyenne Men Charged With Passing Fake $100 Bills

Two Cheyenne men are facing felony forgery charges after allegedly passing counterfeit $100 bills at three Cheyenne businesses last month.

According to court documents, police were called to Hobby Lobby and Sportsman's Warehouse on April 27 after both businesses reported receiving counterfeit $100 bills in transactions.

Hobby Lobby employees told police that a man, later identified as 31-year-old Vernon Tennant, purchased $116.20 worth of art supplies using two counterfeit $100 bills and was given $83.80 in change.

A man standing at the checkout with Tennant, later identified as 28-year-old Terry "T.J." King, reportedly asked cashiers if anyone had turned in $800 worth of $100 bills. Cashiers say King told them he lost the money in the store and asked them to call him if they found it.

Employees later found the bills and turned them, along with the two from the transaction, over to police.

The two men then went to Sportsman's Warehouse, where Tennant reportedly bought shoes using a counterfeit $100 bill. The affidavit says Tennant received two cents in change.

Police were able to get a description of Tennant's vehicle when he passed another counterfeit bill at the Family Dollar on E. Lincolnway the next day. Police located the vehicle on April 29 and arrested Tennant on a warrant for failure to appear.

Tennant reportedly told police that King contacted him on April 27 and told him he had $1,800 worth of counterfeit $100 bills. Tennant said King gave him five of the bills on the condition he would spend them to get valid U.S. currency in change, which could be used to buy drugs.

King was arrested on May 5 and reportedly told police that he obtained $2,000 worth of counterfeit $100 bills from another person on April 26.

Records say both men admitted to knowing the bills were counterfeit prior to using them to make the purchases.

King has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit forgery and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 19 in Laramie County Circuit Court.

Tennant has been charged with three counts of forgery-utter and could face up to 30 years if convicted. He waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing on May 10 and is scheduled to be in court on June 23.