An Indiana man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly used counterfeit money to purchase prepaid debit cards from four Hot Springs businesses for close to $2,000 and attempted it at a fifth business.
Breazele Worthen Norris III, 25, who lists an Indianapolis address, was taken into custody around 4 p.m. and charged with five felony counts of second-degree forgery, each punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and four misdemeanor counts of theft of property under $1,000, each punishable by up to one year in jail.
Norris was being held on a $50,000 bond and was set to appear this week in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Hot Springs police responded to Walgreens, 159 E. Grand Ave., regarding a fraud and spoke to the manager who said a young Black man had purchased a Netspend card for $295.95 and got $40.05 back in change. He purchased the card with six $50 bills that turned out to be counterfeit.
A few minutes later, officers responded to the Dollar General, 3310 Central Ave., and were told a Black male with the same description as the Walgreens incident had purchased a Netspend card there for an unknown amount using eight $50 counterfeit bills.
Shortly after 3 p.m., officers responded to Walmart Neighborhood Market, 1544 Malvern Ave., and discovered the same suspect had purchased two Netspend cards, $400 each, using 16 counterfeit $50 bills, receiving cash back, as well.
Moments later, other officers responded to Kroger, 3341 Central Ave., where the same actor had attempted to use 10 counterfeit $50 bills to purchase a debit card. The cashier checked the bills and discovered they were fake and the suspect fled the area in a silver car with "green writing on the license plate."
Shortly after 3:30 p.m., officers spotted a silver Nissan Maxima with a Florida license plate, which has green writing on it, and noted it matched the description of the suspect vehicle, in the parking lot of Ross Dress for Less, 4415 Central Ave.
A traffic stop was made and the driver, identified as Norris, reportedly matched the description, including clothing, of the suspect in the previous fraud incidents so he was taken into custody.
At around 4:45 p.m., after his arrest, officers responded to the Dollar General, 617 Albert Pike Road, regarding a fraud that had occurred there earlier in the afternoon. The store manager stated a Black male, matching the same description as Norris, had purchased a Visa prepaid card for $360 using eight $50 bills that were later determined to be counterfeit.
The total amount of money allegedly obtained by fraud was approximately $1,860 from the four businesses.