Patrol units were dispatched to Trader Joe's on Post Road East at around 3:42 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19 on a report of a man who made a purchase using a counterfeit $100 bill. The store had been alerted to males passing counterfeit bills earlier that day at other Trader Joe's locations in southern Connecticut, police said.
The suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Jamel D. Greene of the Bronx, had bought soap with the counterfeit bill and received $88.87 in change, according to police. Store staff had seen Greene in the company of at least one other man while in the store, and his accomplice was later identified as 26-year-old Patmore Proctor of Harlem, according to police.
Proctor was located at the nearby CVS store, attempting to make a purchase, and when police made contact with him he tried to conceal two counterfeit $100 bills in his wallet, according to police.
Greene was also located by responding officers. Police said that he initially refused commands to remove his hands from his pockets, and he attempted to resist being placed in handcuffs by officers. An additional counterfeit $100 bill was found on him, police said. Both Greene and Proctor had various currency in small denominations on them, consistent with the crime of passing large counterfeit bills in exchange for valid currency, police said.
Proctor and Greene were each charged with two counts of first-degree forgery, conspiracy to commit first-degree forgery and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny. Greene was also charged with sixth-degree larceny and interfering with an officer. Bond was set at $5,000 for both men, and they were given court dates of Sept. 27.
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