Cozad Man Sentenced to Prison for Passing Counterfeit Currency

The United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Bruce Nelson, 54, of Cozad, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln by United States District Judge John M. Gerrard to 3 years in prison for counterfeiting United States currency. 

Nelson will be required to serve 3 years of supervision upon his release from prison. 

On August 31, 2020, Nelson passed a counterfeit $100 bill at the Red Barn Motel in Elwood, Nebraska. Nelson passed another counterfeit $100 bill at Bosselman’s Pump and Pantry in Alma, Nebraska on September 3, 2020. On September 5, 2020, in Holdrege, Nebraska, Nelson ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut. He gave the delivery person a counterfeit $100 bill as payment for the pizza.

Police obtained a search warrant for a residence in Orleans, Nebraska, where Nelson had been temporarily residing. The warrant was executed on September 7, 2020.  During the search, police located counterfeit $20, $50, and $100 bills, along with paper clippings or cutouts that were consistent with printing counterfeit money. The serial numbers on some of the recovered counterfeit bills matched those that were passed in the above-mentioned incidents.

Nelson was later interviewed by police and admitted that he had been counterfeiting money.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Holdredge Police Department, the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gosper County Sheriff’s Office.