Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Making and Passing Counterfeit Currency

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cornelius Stewart, 30, Fitchburg, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 years in federal prison for making and passing counterfeit $100 bills.  Stewart pleaded guilty to this charge on December 9, 2024.

Stewart and co-defendant Alex Stubbs were charged with passing numerous counterfeit $100 bills in various cities throughout Wisconsin.  The investigation showed that between July and November of 2023, Stewart provided Stubbs with dozens of fake $100 bills having the same serial number to present to merchants when making small purchases, thereby obtaining large amounts of change in legitimate U.S. currency. Stewart also passed some of the bills himself.

In December 2023, a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy approached Stewart’s car to investigate attempts to pass the counterfeit money in Cross Plains, Wisconsin.  Stewart sped off and dragged the deputy with the car, causing injuries.  Stewart was convicted in Dane County for recklessly endangering the safety of the deputy and sentenced to five years in prison in May of 2024. 

At the time of this offense, Stewart was on federal supervision for a previous conviction for manufacturing and passing counterfeit $100 bills in 2019.  In addition, Stewart had been convicted federally in 2017 for the same offense.

In sentencing Stewart, Judge Conley gave considerable weight to Stewart’s repeated return to counterfeiting activity, observing that a significant prison sentence was necessary to deter Stewart’s choice to repeat it in the future. Judge Conley noted that Stewart’s conduct victimized small businesses who were impacted by the losses, as well as damaging the confidence in U.S. currency.  Judge Conley ordered Stewart to pay $6800 in restitution to the businesses impacted.

In addition to the 4-year prison sentence for the current offense, Judge Conley revoked Stewart’s federal supervision and sentenced him to an additional 15 months in prison, for a total sentence of 63 months.

On December 12, 2024, Judge Conley sentenced codefendant Alex Stubbs to 14 months in prison for his role in passing the counterfeit bills.   

The charges against Stewart and Stubbs were the result of an investigation conducted by numerous local law enforcement agencies, including police departments in Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Lake Mills, Marshall, Verona, Shorewood Hills, Tomah, Oconomowoc, as well as the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.