Dexter man arrested on suspected counterfeiting, marijuana growing

DEXTER, Mo. In a recent investigation involving counterfeit bills in the area, Dexter police uncovered what they believe was a large marijuana growing operation in a suspect's home.

Gary McCoy, 45, of Dexter, was charged with two counts of the Class C felony of forgery and one count of the Class B felony of manufacturing marijuana.

The forgery charges carry a $15,000 cash-only bond and the marijuana charges carry a $125,000 cash-only bond. McCoy is currently being housed at the Stoddard County Jail.

According to an affidavit filed by Det. Lt. Trevor Pulley, officers were called to Wal-Mart on Tuesday in regard to two counterfeit $20 bills McCoy had allegedly been trying to pass.

The patrolman on the scene was reportedly told by McCoy that he had received the bills from Dexter Town & Country.

"There have been approximately seven different businesses that have accepted the counterfeit money and made police reports," Pulley states in the affidavit. "The businesses in Dexter have been checking the money they have been receiving and marking [using pens to identify the counterfeit bills] most of the money they are accepting. The two counterfeit $20 bills [McCoy] had and attempted to pass, did not have any markings from counterfeit pens from prior businesses."

Pulley said that led him to believe that the bills had not been presented to any business in the area due to the absence of such marks.

Neither of the counterfeit bills contained watermarks or other security feathers found on legitimate currency.

McCoy was then brought to police headquarters for questioning by Pulley, where he said he did not make the bills and was informed that possessing and passing them was also a crime.

He then denied consent to search his residence for counterfeiting materials, later admitting that the reason he didn't want them to search his home was because he was growing marijuana inside the residence, according to police accounts.

After receiving a search warrant, Pulley and other members of the Dexter Police Department entered the home and found in plain view a hydroponic marijuana growing operation. Hydroponics is the process by which plants are grown with no soil to produce higher yields and decrease risk of contamination, disease and bugs.

"There were sixteen pods containing what appeared to be small marijuana plants," the probable cause statement says. Each of those sixteen pods contained approximately three marijuana plants.

Officers also found an undisclosed quantity of marijuana, presumably from a recent harvest, inside the residence. Also discovered were firearms, including a sawed-off .22 caliber rifle and a large amount of cash.

McCoy is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at 9 a.m.