KERSHAW COUNTY, SC (WIS) - An item as innocent as its name -- the Happy Meal -- led Kershaw County deputies to uncover a multi-state counterfeiting ring.
The Kershaw County Sheriff's Office says 40-year-old Ryan Scott Jordan passed a counterfeit bill to purchase the meal at a Lugoff McDonalds.
Deputies were called to the McDonalds on Sunday and found Jordan subdued by two civilians after another man accused him of using the counterfeit bill.
Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews says that man recognized Jordan because he had been scammed by him before.
Jordan was arrested at the scene for public disorderly conduct and for providing false information to law enforcement. He was held, however, on forgery charges.
On Monday, the sheriff's department contacted the US Secret Service about the case and the two agencies performed a search on Jordan's Hasty Road residence.
Upon completion of the search, deputies found $4,930 worth of counterfeit currency and equipment used to manufacture the phony cash.
"Mr. Jordan basically confessed to everything," said Matthews. "That he had more money at his home. He had equipment there to manufacture the money. It was $100, $20, $10 and $5 bills."
Matthews says the money looked pretty good and could easily pass by undetected to an unsuspecting clerk.
"I think most people believe the counterfeiters do the big denomination bills," said Matthews. "So when you get a $5, $10, $20, you may not be paying attention."
Jordan remains at the Kershaw County Detention Center on forgery charges, and faces additional federal charges by the US Secret Service. He is currently wanted by Georgia authorities for violation of probation for multiple counts of forgery.
Jordan could face a $1 million fine and up to 30 years in prison.
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Ryan Scott Jordan (Source: Kershaw County Sheriff's Office)
(Source: Kershaw County Sheriff's Office)
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