Two individuals have pled guilty to creating and using tens of thousands of counterfeit U.S. dollars to make purchases across Central Florida.
On Tuesday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that 42-year-old Neal Evan Pollman has pled guilty to manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Pollman, who is from Panama City, faces up to 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the victims he defrauded.
According to court records, Pollman and his associate, 41-year-old Lyndsey Rhea Markland, entered various businesses in Seminole, Brevard, Clay, and Duval counties in 2022 and made purchases of gift cards, food, and merchandise using counterfeit money.
Law enforcement authorities eventually determined that Pollman and Markland were staying at a hotel in the city of Palm Bay. In November 2022, Palm Bay Police Department officers executed a search warrant at their hotel room.
Inside the room, authorities found approximately $30,000 in counterfeit currency, a printer, and tools used to manufacture counterfeit money.
Pollman and Markland were taken into custody at that time.
During a forensic examination of Pollman’s cellphone, police located images of Federal Reserve notes that he had used to manufacture the fake currency.
Earlier this month, Markland pled guilty to four counts of passing counterfeit money. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count and payment of restitution to the victims she defrauded. Her sentencing date has been scheduled for September 25, 2023. A sentencing date has not yet been set for Pollman.