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Police: Woman wanted by Secret Service arrested for using counterfeit money

BESSEMER CITY — According to the Bessemer City Police Department, a woman wanted by the Secret Service was arrested Friday.

Ashley Spradlin, 21, is accused of buying smaller items and using fake $50 bills to pay for them.

She went into the Dollar General in Bessemer City last week and paid with a bad bill. She went in again on Friday and tried to do the same thing. The Dollar General knew to be on the lookout for her and did not accept the money. Spradlin left Dollar General and the store contacted police with a description of her car.

Police found her car at Ingles at 1205 Gastonia Highway. She was attempting to purchase a $1.50 drink there with a $50 bill. Before the manager could refuse to break the bill, she was on her way out of the door.

The manager followed her outside, but police were already outside of the store and arrested her.

Police think Spradlin got the bills from someone else, rather than making them herself.

Bessemer City has pressed Spradlin with two charges of utter forged instrument and several more cases are pending.

Police say there are still fake bills coming into banks as businesses are making deposits. They are unsure how many bills Spradlin used, and said a larger investigation is still ongoing.