Woman arrested on felony warrants for allegedly passing counterfeit bills
A Hot Springs woman was arrested Tuesday in West Memphis on multiple felony warrants for allegedly passing counterfeit
$100 bills last summer at nine businesses in Hot Springs over the course of two days.
Tiffany Paige Gwatney, 32, who lists an East Grand Avenue address, was taken into custody around
6 p.m. and charged with seven counts of first-degree forgery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and two counts of second-degree forgery, punishable by up to 10 years.
Gwatney was initially being held on bonds totaling $45,000, but she appeared via video Thursday morning in Garland County District Court and pleaded not guilty to all nine counts. Judge Ralph Ohm reduced her bond to $5,000 total and a felony review hearing was set for Aug. 27 to determine if the cases will be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court.
Ohm also issued a court order barring Gwatney from contact with any of the businesses involved. She remained in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on July 26, 2017, a white female, later identified as Gwatney, reportedly passed counterfeit bills at Pier 1 Imports, Dolce Gelato, Chico’s, Dress Barn, Outback Steakhouse and On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, all located in the Cornerstone Marketplace, located on Cornerstone Boulevard and Pakis Street.
Gwatney allegedly walked from business to business passing the counterfeit $100 bills, making a purchase for a small amount at each one to get change back.
The next day, she allegedly passed counterfeit $100 bills at Belk and TJ Maxx, also located in the Cornerstone Marketplace, and at Red Lobster, 4500 Central Ave.
TJ Maxx, Belk and Dolce Gelato had surveillance video of the transactions which were shared on the Hot
Springs police Facebook page in an attempt to identify the woman. The manager of
Chico’s called and reportedly confirmed the woman seen in the photos was the same one that passed the bill at her business.
Detective John Hammons was contacted by Arkadelphia police detectives, who stated they had arrested Gwatney for passing counterfeit $100 bills with same serial number in Arkadelphia. The detectives noted they found receipts from Pier 1, Petco and Chico’s in Hot Springs in Gwatney’s purse.
Hammons was able to match photos of Gwatney to the surveillance photos and noted she matched the description of the woman who passed the bills at Outback, On the Border and Red Lobster. Warrants were later issued for her arrest.