Greenville man passed fake 'Benjamins'

GREENVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Authorities say he passed off phony $100 bills all around Greenville, counterfeit bills he allegedly printed himself. Now a 71-year-old man is facing felony charges.

Neighbors weren't surprised when police raided the home of Danny Roger in the 200 block of East Summit. They were only surprised by why.

"I expected the raid was going to be over drugs, not counterfeiting," one neighbor told 24 Hour News 8.

Roger was printing $100 bills with a color copier and office paper, police said, then passing them off to area businesses - even though they were clearly the work of an amateur.

"If you look closely, it's easy to tell that they're not real bills," said Lt. Steve Russell with the Montcalm County Sheriff's Department. "The color is just not quite right."

Deputies said they also found evidence of other crimes -- heroin, marijuana and weapons -- at his home.

Roger allegedly hit Michael's Farm Market, north of Greenville, twice -- the second time just this week.

Sheila Dulyea of Michael's said she believes Roger passed one of the phony Benjamin Franklins a few weeks ago at the market.

"You can see how slow business is," she said. "We can't afford to be out $200."

But her granddaughter tried to use it at McDonald's earlier this week, and that got the police involved.

"They were going to take her to jail and she was petrified."

Roger's criminal record is older than most of the officers who raided his home. He was first arrested in 1958, when he was 18 and stole a car. It continued through 1964. Then there is a 45-year gap before it picks up again in 2009, and he had two pending drug cases after being arrested in July.

Because it's a counterfeiting charge, the case is now with the Secret Service. It's unclear if federal charges will follow.

The case remains under investigation so anyone with additional information is asked to call the detective bureau of the Montcalm County Sheriff's Office at 989.831.7516.