Peoria Parolee Pinched With Fake Money, Mason Jar Of Pot: Cops

OAK LAWN, IL — A parolee passing through town who was pulled over for a suspended license was found to be carrying counterfeit money and a mason jar full of pot, prosecutors said. Jamal Curtis, 23, of Peoria, appeared before Judge John Mahoney on a felony charge of forgery. He is currently on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Oak Lawn police were on patrol around 5:15 p.m. April 11, when they pulled over a Chevy Blazer in the 9900 block of South Pulaski Road in Oak Lawn for traffic violations. The driver, later identified as Curtis, was later discovered to have a suspended driver’s license, the prosecutor said. Officers also spotted a jar of suspected cannabis inside the Blazer. A police K9 was brought to the scene where the prosecutor said the dog alerted to the presence of contraband. During a search of the car, the prosecutor said officers found 51 one-hundred dollar bills.

Curtis allegedly admitted that he knew the money was counterfeit. The assistant public defender asked the prosecutor to provide a picture of the fake money.

“The money had [Asian language] writing on it and a red mark,” the public defender said. “On the side it said [the money] was not for resale.”

The assistant public defender added that according to Curtis, there was no parole hold. Curtis is parole from the Hill Correctional Center, where he had been serving concurrent sentences for attempted armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated fleeing and eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and robbery, according to state records.

Bail was set at $100,000. Curtis is due back in court April 29 in Bridgeview.