FORT SMITH (KFSM) — Three people are facing felony charges after a woman reportedly tried to purchase pizza using a counterfeit bill, an arrest report states.
The bills are being passed in Sebastian and Scott Counties, according to police.
Gary Wayne Baxter is facing felony charges including trafficking a controlled substance, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver,possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also arrested on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear. Baxter is in the Sebastian County Detention Center in lieu of a $55,000 bond.
Charlene Renea Whitehead, 51, of Webber Falls, Okla. is facing two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver, one count of trafficking a controlled substance, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. Whitehead is in the Sebastian County Detention Center in lieu of a $100,000 bond.
Denise J. Rowell, 58, of Sallisaw, Okla. is facing two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance with the purpose to deliver, one count of trafficking a controlled substance, and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. She has been bailed out of the Sebastian County Detention Center on a $111,000 bond.
At midnight Thursday (April 12), police were dispatched to Pizza Hut on Rogers Avenue. An employee told police that a woman attempted to purchase pizza with a counterfeit $50 bill at La Quinta Inn, the report states.
The counterfeit bill had red Chinese markings on it. When held in front of a light, the bill doesn’t show the same markings on typical $50 bills.
Police went to the hotel room where the attempted illegal purchase was reported.
An officer stated in the report that he saw marijuana and a large amount of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia in the hotel room.
Police also found drugs in Rowell’s purse. They said they found two bags of methamphetamine, hydrocodone and drug paraphernalia, the report states.
Cash was seized from Baxter and Rowell, as it’s suspected that they were selling meth, the report states.
Baxter said a woman who was no longer at the hotel attempted to purchase the pizza with the counterfeit bill. Police have yet to find that woman, the report states.
This is a developing story.