A Jim Thorpe man has been charged with forgery after he attempted to pay for gas with a fraudulent $100 bill.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper Joseph Campano of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop N, Lehighton Barracks:

At 3:03 p.m. March 7, Campano responded to the Sunoco Gas Station along Route 903 in Penn Forest Township for a report of an individual who tried to use a fraudulent $100 bill to pay for gas.

Upon arrival, Campano was given the fraudulent bill, which clearly had “Motion Picture Purposes” printed at the top of the bill.

The manager informed Campano that the individual did not want to give his information, and only did so after the manager told him he would take his license plate number.

The individual, Richard Arnold, 31, then gave his information to the manager, who then passed it along to Campano.

Later that day, Campano contacted Arnold via telephone and asked that he come to PSP Lehighton.

Campano interviewed Arnold at 7:30 p.m. The interview was audio and video recorded.

Before the interview, Campano advised Arnold of his Miranda Rights and that he was being audio and video recorded.

Arnold told Campano that he received three of these fraudulent bills a year ago.

He then tried to use them first at Walmart on March 6, where he was told they could not accept them because they were fake.

Arnold then told Campano that within a 24-hour period, he tried to pass one of the bills again at the Sunoco.

Due to the incident at Walmart, prior notice of the bills being fraudulent was established.

Arnold faces charges of forgery, simulating objects of antiquity, rarity, etc., and theft by deception.

He is currently free on unsecured bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 2:30 p.m. March 20 before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz of Jim Thorpe.