ELIZABETHTOWN — A Spring Lake man was arrested and charged with passing counterfeit money in Elizabethtown on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20.
According to Elizabethtown Police Chief Kip Hester, officers were called to the Dollar General store on South Poplar Street on Feb. 20.
“Upon arrival, the store clerk pointed out the suspect to officers and proceeded to tell the officer that the suspect attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill,” Hester said. “While speaking with the store clerk, the suspect ran out of the store and departed in a vehicle.”
Elizabethtown police officer Eric Buffkin was able to locate the vehicle and arrest the suspect.
After the suspects initial arrest Elizabethtown Police Department was notified that the suspect also passed two counterfeit $100 bills at CVS on South Poplar Street the day before his arrest.
John Sylvester Clax, who gave the original name of John Sylvester Manning, of Spring Lake was charged with two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, uttering forged instrument, and possession of counterfeit currency, and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, and possession of counterfeit currency. He was also served with an existing warrant for failure to appear on a misdemeanor larceny charge.
Clax is being held under a $31,000 secured bond.