Fake money user guilty

By The Citizen staff report

Thursday, May 25, 2006 11:03 AM EDT

A Cayuga County jury found an Auburn man guilty Wednesday on all six charges he was facing relating to counterfeit money accusations.
A jury of seven men and five women deliberated about two hours before finding Ron Craven, 25, of D-80 Brogan Manor, guilty on three felony charges of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and three misdemeanor petit larceny charges.

The conviction came weeks after Craven turned down a plea bargain offer in which he could have admitted to second-degree possession of a forged instrument in exchange for a Cayuga County District Attorney's Office sentencing recommendation of six months in county jail. He now faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison on each felony conviction.

Authorities said Craven used counterfeit $20 bills at Wal-Mart on July 30 and Aug. 1 and at T&K Hardware on Aug. 7.

Assistant district attorney S.J. Finnessey declined to comment on specifics of the sentencing recommendation the prosecution will make, but said he expects to be asking for prison time. Sentencing has been tentatively set for July 6.

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