A Leesburg man was arrested on a warrant Tuesday for allegedly using counterfeit $100 bills with a partner at Hobby Lobby.
On Wednesday, May 8, an officer with the Mount Dora Police Department responded to Hobby Lobby, located at 16880 U.S. Hwy. 441, regarding two counterfeit bills that had been uttered at their store, one of which was by 32-year-old Glenn Elwin-Staffo Cornell, according to an affidavit of probable cause out of Lake County.
The officer met with the store manager who gave verbal and sworn written testimony indicating intent to prosecute on behalf of Hobby Lobby. The manager advised that the store’s bookkeeper was counting money from the previous day when she found two $100 bills that did not feel right. The manager took the bills and passed them under an ultra-violet light intended to reveal counterfeit bills, the affidavit said.
The UV-reactive strips were not correct, indicating counterfeit bills. Additionally, both bills bore the same serial number, the affidavit said.
The manager stated the bills were passed by two individuals in two separate transactions, although the video was clear they were working together. Each executed a transaction where they paid for merchandise with a counterfeit $100 bill and received change in legitimate currency, the affidavit said.
The officer was given copies of the transaction reports and surveillance video of the suspects’ entry, transactions and exit. The total loss to the store was $200 in cash and merchandise, the affidavit said.
One suspect was ultimately identified as Cornell. He selected three items of what look like arts and crafts supplies on the counter totaling $21.37, or $19.97 plus $1.40 tax, and paid using a $100 bill. The cashier held the bill up to the light, placed it under the counterfeit bill detection light and accepted it as tender, giving $78.63 in change, the affidavit said.
The unidentified suspect bought a lamp and what appeared to be headphones for $45.45, or $42.48 plus $2.97 tax, with a $100 bill. The cashier also checked this bill in the same manner as the first, giving $54.55 in change, the affidavit said.
A detective with the MDPD later prepared an Attempt to Identify bulletin using images from the surveillance video, which was given out publicly by the City of Mount Dora Public Information Officer. An officer responded to a follow-up call where a former coworker of the suspects positively identified the suspects. The coworker noted that the two had been fired from employment at Taco Bell for some questionable behavior, the affidavit said.
The detective next reviewed open-source information for the suspects. The unidentified suspect was arrested by the Leesburg Police Department in September, and his booking photo was consistent with the suspects from the surveillance video. He also had a Facebook profile where his tattoos were matched to the ones in the video, the affidavit said.
Cornell’s license photo also matched the suspect’s appearance in the surveillance video, and his social media profiles matched, as well, the affidavit said.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, a detective went to an undisclosed residence to speak with Cornell and the other suspect. He interviewed Cornell in the driveway, during which he showed Cornell the bulletin and asked if he recognized the individuals pictured. He readily identified them as himself and the other suspect. He was also asked to write the suspect’s full name and to initial by his own photo, which he did, the affidavit said.
The detective went on to ask Cornell about the incident in question, and he denied knowing why there would be an investigation. When told the bills he used for the purchase were counterfeit, he nodded and said, “Ok.” The detective asked if he could shed any light on the situation, and he said he did not know but that he was out of work at the time, the affidavit said.
Cornell stated he sold some stuff for cash and believed the bills were likely from that sale. At no time did he seem surprised by the information that the bills were fake but later insisted he did not know. He also noted that he gave the other suspect the bill he used to make his purchase at Hobby Lobby, the affidavit said.
The detective found this explanation highly questionable given Cornell’s lack of surprise when told about the bills and immediately providing a vague and general explanation of the source of the bills, the affidavit said.
The detective also found a police report filed with the Lady Lake Police Department on May 4, three days before Cornell uttered the counterfeit bills at Hobby Lobby. This report indicated that he bought an Xbox game system from an acquaintance and paid for it with counterfeit bills. The complainant had confronted him about the bills, and Cornell told him that he had gotten the bills from a bank, the affidavit said.
The detective called the complainant, who confirmed that he told Cornell the bills were fake. He could not recall Cornell’s explanation at the time, but Cornell refused to make it right. He had not talked to him since that incident, the affidavit said.
Cornell was ultimately arrested Tuesday night by the Leesburg Police Department on a warrant charging him with uttering forged bills and petit theft from a merchant ($100-750). The Connecticut native was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,500 bond.