Toledoan sent to prison for counterfeit currency

12/9/2008

One of three Toledoans convicted of manufacturing fake $20 bills was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Toledo to 30 months in prison.

Patrick Coutcher, 29, of 417 Fourth St., pleaded guilty July 20 to one count of making counterfeit currency. Yesterday, Judge James Carr sentenced him to prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Coutcher; Matthew Miller, 26, of 606 Leach Ave., and Jessica Perry, 25, of 556 Orchard St. were charged in April with one count each of making counterfeit currency.

Conviction on the charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

According to court records, the three were convicted of creating the fake currency between October and November, 2007, and using it in the community for, among other things, buying drugs. The number of fake bills created was not disclosed.