Walmart Cashier Was In On Fake Movie Money Scheme: Cops

BUFORD, GA — Three suspects, including a Walmart cashier, have been named in a scheme in which more than $1,000 in fake movie money was used for a large purchase at the store.

The incident happened at the Walmart at 3250 Sardis Church Road in Buford, according to Gwinnett County Police.

A couple used phony $100 bills, which were marked with the words "For Motion Picture Use Only," between 3-4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19, to buy $1,000 worth of lawn equipment, police say.

The woman later returned some of that equipment for a cash refund at a different Walmart.

Gwinnett County Police on Tuesday said that couple is Travis B. Taylor, 36, of Blakely, and Melissa A. Sinquefield, 30, of Buford. They also say the cashier, 19-year-old Jocelyn A. Gerstenlauer, of Auburn, was in on the scheme.

Gestenlauer turned herself in to police at about noon Tuesday, authorities said. They said Sinquefield was aware of the warrants and also had plans to turn herself in.

According to police, as Taylor was loading up a shopping cart, Sinquefield approached Gerstenlauer at her register, confronting her about money she claimed she was owed by the cashier.

Sinquefield then went to her vehicle and Taylor came to Gerstenlauer's register, paying for the lawn equipment with the phony money, which was apparently created as a prop for a movie or television show.

Police say Gerstenlauer never returned to work after the fake bills were discovered in her register.

Taylor and Sinquefield may have left the metro Atlanta area and might be in Early County, in southwest Georgia, police said Tuesday. They said Taylor has an active warrant there for a case in which he is accused of passing the same kind of counterfeit bills at a business in Blakely, the Early County seat.

In the Walmart case, Taylor is charged with first-degree forgery and theft by deception. Sinquefield is wanted for first-degree forgery, theft by deception and probation violation, and Gerstenlauer is wanted for first-degree forgery.

Photos courtesy Gwinnett County Police Department