O’Brien man made his own money, say police

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March 15, 2011

Jeff Waters Suwannee Democrat The Suwannee Democrat Tue Mar 15, 2011, 04:31 PM EDT

Live Oak — An O’Brien man who used a printer purchased at Walmart to make $600 in counterfeit bills was arrested hours later in Gainesville after attempting to use the fake notes, Alachua County Jail records show.

Douglas Brian Osborne, 30, of 8913 200th Street, O’Brien, was arrested on two counts of passing a counterfeit bank note, one count possessing forged notes, one count possessing forgery/counterfeiting tools and resisting officers without violence. He was booked into the Alachua County Jail shortly before 3 a.m. Friday.

Osborne allegedly tried passing a fake $20 bill at Stubby’s on University Avenue in Gainesville around 11:30 p.m. Thursday night. When the clerk refused the bill, Osborne apologized and gave the clerk a genuine $20 bill, stating he gave the fake bill to the clerk by accident.

About 10 minutes later, Osborne bought a pack of cigarettes with a fake $20 at a grocery store near Stubby’s. He also admitted to using a fake $20 at a bar the location of which he didn’t remember.

A report by Gainesville Police officer Rabindranauth Narayan showed that upon Osborne’s arrest several $5, $10 and $20 counterfeit bills were found in his left front pant pocket, totaling $150.

“As I was escorting (Osborne) to my patrol car, he attempted to flee on foot,” wrote Narayan. “I grabbed his jacket and he pulled away, still trying to escape before he was taken to the ground.”

Osborne’s girlfriend arrived on scene shortly, wanting to take her car. She also consented to a search of her vehicle.

Officers found $260 in counterfeit $20s in the driver’s side door pocket.  “In the trunk of the car was a printer with the same paper as the fake bills,” wrote Narayan.

Osborne reportedly said he bought the printer at the Walmart in Lake City “for the purpose of printing counterfeit bills.”

He made about $600 in counterfeit bills earlier Thursday.

“(Osborne) decided to use the bills in Gainesville where no one knew him. Defendant stated that a friend of his had shown him how to do it.” Osborne told Narayan that he left the $260 in fake bills in the door of the car because he didn’t want to be caught carrying that much counterfeit money.