McHenry man charged with passing fake $100 bills

A 23-year-old McHenry man is in jail for passing and selling homemade $100 bills, Island Lake police said Wednesday.

Christopher Cappello, of the 1700 block of Leonard Avenue, is charged with nine counts of forgery after allegedly trying to sell five counterfeit $100 bills to an undercover police officer Tuesday, Police Chief Tony Sciarrone said.

Officers were alerted about two months ago that someone had been passing fake bills at Island Lake taverns and convenience stores, Sciarrone said. During the investigation, the fake bills were traced to Cappello.

Detectives learned Cappello used his home computer to make excellent forgeries of bills, then sold them or used them to make purchases in Island Lake, Sciarrone said.

An undercover operation was set up, and Cappello was nabbed after selling five fake $100 bills to an undercover officer for $200. Cappello had another eight forged bills with him, and eight more were found at his house, Sciarrone said.

Police confiscated a computer and printers they say were used to print the fake money.

The nine counts of forgery are class three felonies, and could put Cappello behind bars up to three years.

He is held in Lake County jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.

"This was great police work on behalf of our officers," Sciarrone said. "It took a long time to track down the suspect, but they stuck with it and got him."

There is a chance Cappello had been passing or selling phony bills in other towns, police said. Anyone who suspects they may have received one of these bills should contact Island Lake police at (847) 526-2100.