A man is facing sentencing for a felony conviction in Illinois after being accused of using counterfeit money. The indictment against him shows that he has pleaded guilty to possession of counterfeit currency, obstruction of justice and resisting or impeding the United States Secret Service. The felony conviction sentencing will occur in a few months.
The man stated that he possessed and used the counterfeit money back in June at an Illinois business. When he was arrested, he also admitted trying to destroy the evidence against him by attempting to swallow it. He also resisted being detained by agents.
The man likely pleaded guilty as a way to avoid a harsher sentence. However, he still faces potentially serious penalties in Illinois. With the guilty plea, he could face up to 48 years in prison, fines well over half a million dollars, special assessments fines and also a few years of supervised release. Any time that a felony conviction occurs in Illinois, the penalties could be steep, but sometimes people plead guilty in an attempt to have the charges and potential punishment reduced.
The sentencing phase for this felony conviction won’t happen for a few months, but it is possible that the man will not receive the maximum sentence. In a situation like this, it would be in the best interests of someone facing such a conviction to seek out knowledgeable assistance. Doing so could result in advice that helps someone navigate the Illinois legal system and allows them to possibly receive lesser charges or even a less strict sentence.
Source: News Democrat, “Man pleads guilty to carrying counterfeit money in Sauget,” Oct. 12, 2012