Lake Charles, Louisiana - A Lake Charles man was arrested after authorities discovered over $600 in counterfeit currency in his possession, according to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office.

Jason S. Thibodeaux Jr., 28, of Lake Charles, was taken into custody on April 17 after detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit, assigned to the U.S. Secret Service Task Force, were alerted to possible counterfeit money circulation in the Calcasieu area.

Detectives, working alongside a U.S. Secret Service Special Agent from Baton Rouge, located Thibodeaux at a restaurant in Lake Charles. He was initially detained on an active warrant for contempt of court. During the arrest, authorities found counterfeit money on his person, with additional fake currency, suspected marijuana, and drug paraphernalia discovered in his vehicle during a subsequent search.

According to officials, Thibodeaux admitted to investigators that he had used counterfeit money multiple times with the intention of receiving genuine currency as change.

"Passing counterfeit money is a crime that affects businesses and individuals throughout our community," Sheriff Stitch Guillory stated in a release. "It only takes a few seconds to check your cash, and doing so can protect you from becoming a victim."

Sheriff Guillory provided several tips for identifying counterfeit bills:

• Feel the paper, as genuine currency has a distinctive textured feel
• Look for watermarks by holding bills up to light to find faint portrait images
• Check for color-shifting ink, where numbers on the lower right should change color when tilted

Thibodeaux faces charges of monetary instrument abuse, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Judge Michael Canaday set his bond at $82,000.

Detective Steffan Weekly is leading the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service Baton Rouge Field Office.

For more information on identifying counterfeit currency, the Sheriff's Office recommends visiting uscurrency.gov or downloading the Cash Assist app developed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.