Casino security thwarts alleged counterfeiters

Two Albany men are facing felony charges after they allegedly tried to pass counterfeit $100 bills at Spirit Mountain Casino on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Their arrest also led police authorities to more fake bills and money-manufacturing equipment at a home in the 3600 block of Adah Avenue in Albany.

Polk County deputies were called to the casino at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after fake bills were discovered by casino employees, said sheriff's spokesman Lt. Jeff Isham.

Terry Albert Connor, 42, and Eric Jon Willem, 43, were arrested after they left the casino parking lot. They were booked into the Polk County Jail in Dallas.

Police said the two men passed 17 counterfeit bills at the casino and were in possession of 30 more.

Deputies later conducted a search with the U.S. Secret Service at the Albany address and found more fake bills and computer equipment, including some hard drives burned in a woodstove, Isham said.

Conner and Willem face counts of forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument.

As of Friday, Feb. 10, both men were being held on multiple charges with bail amounts of approximately $150,000.

"The passing of counterfeit bills is fairly common in the casino business," said Rodney Ferguson, chief executive officer of Spirit Mountain Casino. "Fortunately, our staff is trained to identify counterfeit bills via visual and other means. The U. S. Secret Service always gets involved because it is a federal offense."