Bismarck man accused of passing counterfeit bills

Bismarck man accused of passing counterfeit bills

A man is accused of making and using counterfeit money to buy items at several Bismarck stores, including a $600 flat screen television and several DVDs.

Donald Heck, of Bismarck, is charged in federal court with two counts of making and passing counterfeit bills. Authorities said he made about 21 phony $50 bills.

Heck has not been asked to enter a plea. Defense attorney Jeffrey Viken, the lead public defender in North Dakota and South Dakota, did not return a phone message seeking comment.

Authorities said Heck removed the ink from $5 bills by rubbing them with "Purple Power degreaser" and placing them in a microwave oven for five minutes. Heck copied the color image of a genuine $50 bill taped to the cleaned $5 bill, the complaint said.

Heck told investigators he used the counterfeit money at CVS Pharmacy, Subway, Spencers, McDonald's and Target stores in Bismarck. He said he bought the flat screen TV at Target, the complaint said.

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