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Counterfeiting suspect booked into jail to face felonies in Greene County

A warrant was issued in February for a counterfeiting suspect who allegedly paid for a truck in Greene County and an ATV in Sullivan County with fake $100 bills, but he was in jail in Sullivan County. He was transferred to Greene County on Friday to face charges here.  

Justin Chad Abbott

Justin Chad Abbott, 29, of Vincennes according to court records, Carlisle according to jail records, was under investigation by Det. Sgt. Shawn Cullison of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department since early January.

A Greene County man contacted the sheriff’s department on January 4 and talked to GCSD Deputy Cameron Frye. The man said he sold his truck to man named Justin who said he was from Kentucky. As the buyer was driving away, the seller realized the money that the buyer paid him was counterfeit.

The seller tried to catch up to the buyer but was not successful. The seller said the buyer gave him 13 $100 bills, all with the same serial number.

The vehicle that was sold was a silver 2003 Ford Ranger with a single cab and black rims. The buyer and seller had made contact through Facebook but after this transaction, the buyer said Abbott blocked him. He had a phone number for Abbott but Abbott stopped accepting his calls.

The buyer gave the bills to the deputy and Det. Cullison said they were bluish in color and had a gold glitter substance on them. They all had the same serial number, LB45440078L.

On January 13, Abbott was arrested in Sullivan County where he was accused of using counterfeit $100 bills to buy an ATV. The serial number on the bills used in Sullivan County were the same as the bills used in Greene County.

When Det. Cullison interviewed Abbott at the Sullivan County Jail on January 22, Abbott allegedly said he didn’t buy the truck, had never been to Greene County and he thought someone else had used his name to buy the truck.

On January 30, Deputy Frye met with the buyer and showed him a photo lineup of six white men and the buyer pointed to Abbott’s picture.

The preliminary charges against Abbott in Greene County include counterfeiting, a Level 6 felony, and theft where value of property is between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 felony.

A warrant was issued for Abbott’s arrest on February 5, but Abbott has been in the Sullivan County Jail. Last Friday he was transferred to the Greene County Jail to face charges here.

Abbott’s bond here was set at $8,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed and he posted $800, but he’s still in jail, because he’s being held on another warrant for his arrest issued out of Gibson County where he has two criminal cases pending against him.