Cell Phone Purchased With Counterfeit Money

A Washington Parish resident advertised a cell phone for sale on a Facebook site and Byron Louis Jackson (25) of Bogalusa offered to buy the phone. When Jackson and the seller met, Jackson gave the seller a folded up $100 bill in exchange for the phone, quickly got in his vehicle and drove off as the seller was trying to get him to stop.
Suspecting the $100 bill was counterfeit, the seller contacted the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and Detectives confirmed the $100 bill was counterfeit.
The Bogalusa Police Department assisted in locating Jackson and he was charged on July 10, 2018 with theft and abuse of a monetary instrument. He was released the following day after posting a $5,000 bond.
Sheriff Randy Seal cautions anyone selling or purchasing any item using social media. “Never agree to meet someone you do not know in a private location. You may not know their actual intent and it could be a ruse to commit a crime. Always insist on a public location where others will be present. As the old saying goes, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Good job, detectives, in locating and arresting Jackson.”