Feds Pursue Counterfeit Changes

Yalobusha deputies seized $160 in counterfeit currency, a printer and high quality paper when Craft was arrested in October. – Photo by David Howell

By David Howell
Editor

OXFORD – A Texas man has pleaded not guilty to federal charges for making and passing counterfeit money in Yalobusha County.

Eric Jason Craft, 34, was arrested by the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Depart-ment on October 11 at a home on Hwy. 32, east of Oakland. Local authorities were serving a warrant for grand larceny, when the arrest was made.

After taking Craft into custody,  deputies also discovered $160 in counterfeit money, a printer and high quality linen paper.

“We contacted a secret service agent in Oxford after discovering both the counterfeit bills and printer,” Yalobusha Sheriff Lance Humphreys reported.

Following the arrest, Craft and his girlfriend, Sabrina Lynne Mize, 28, of Yalobusha County, were each indicted by a federal grand jury on October 20 for conspiracy to defraud and pass counterfeit money. Craft also is accused of making the counterfeit notes.

The indictment accuses Craft of using a counterfeit $20 bill to make a purchase at the Exxon station in Water Valley on Oct. 11. The next day, Mize is alleged to have bought something with another counterfeit $20 bill at the Dollar General in Oakland.

Mize also pleaded not guilty for her alleged role in the counterfeiting operation. A trial has been scheduled December 13 at U.S. District Court in Oxford at 9:40 for both Mize and Craft.

Mize is out on a $5,000 bond while Craft remains incarcerated in Lafayette County.

Craft, a convicted sex offender, is also wanted by authorities in Liberty, Texas on an outstanding arrest warrant, according to Humphreys.

Deputies had learned that Craft had just returned to Yalobusha County from Texas, after receiving a tip from an informant, prior to the October arrest.

“When we arrested him, he gave us an altered driver’s license in an attempt to disguise his identity,” Humphreys added. “He also was driving a vehicle with an altered VIN number.”