3 Charged in Connection to Fake Money Scheme to Buy iPhone: Prosecutors

A 19-year-old man is facing felony forgery charges after he paid for an iPhone with phony money during a pre-arranged transaction in an Orland Park parking lot, prosecutors said.

Also charged were the man’s 20-year-old pals, who allegedly led the seller on a short car chase and pointed a BB handgun at the seller’s vehicle.

Prosecutors said that Bryant Smith, 19, arranged to buy the phone from the seller on Facebook. Both agreed to meet in a parking lot near 144th Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park around 1 a.m. August 25.

The seller and his father arrived at the appointed time. Smith’s friend, 20-year-old Jalyn Turner, drove Smith and another friend Ellis Whittington, 20, to the meeting spot, prosecutors said.

Smith walked over to the seller’s car and handed him $170 including three counterfeit fifty-dollar bills, even though both had agreed the selling price was $175, according to the charges.

The seller told police realized the bills were phony when he noticed they did not have the proper watermarks and felt like paper, prosecutors said.

As Smith and his friends drove away, the seller and his father followed them. Turner allegedly tried to elude the vehicle, and Ellis pointed a BB gun resembling a handgun at the seller’s car.

Prosecutors said the seller was able to cut off the vehicle Smith was riding in by getting in front of it.

Smith allegedly provided Orland Park police with a written statement, saying that he had sold a pair of gym shoes in another Facebook deal, and did not realize that the buyer paid him with counterfeit bills.

Judge Felice released Smith on an I-bond along with electronic monitoring, a curfew and random urine drops.

Tuner was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct and was also released on an I-Bond.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Whittington, who was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault, was due to leave Saturday for college out of state on a basketball scholarship.

Judge Felice said Whittington would be able to leave for college, but had to come back for court on Sept. 8. He was released on a $25,000 I-bond.