COOKEVILLE, TN — As Cookeville Police began an investigation of the passing of counterfeit $100 bills throughout the city, they found two men responsible for the transactions.
On August 5, Cookeville Police were investigating a series of transactions at several stores in the Cookeville area involving fake $100. The transactions were made at Publix and at Academy Sports. According to the warrants, at least one suspect was seen using the counterfeit money on camera.
Officers observed Jamontrea Ridley, 28, of Columbia, TN exiting Gabe’s on Willow Avenue in Cookeville with a bag of merchandise. Officers attempted to stop Ridley on the way to a vehicle in the parking lot and Ridley attempted to flee the scene on foot. To detain Ridley, officers deployed a Taser on Ridley but it had no effect. Another Taser was deployed and stopped Ridley from fleeing. As officers were attempting to place Ridley under arrest, he allegedly began to fight being put in handcuffs.
Once taken into custody, Ridley admitted to using counterfeit money at Publix, Academy Sports and at Gabe’s.
The other suspect, who was in the vehicle Ridley was attempting to get to before being arrested, left the parking lot. On August 6, the vehicle was later found with Thomas Givens, 39, of Clarksville, TN as the driver. Inside the vehicle, the warrant stated, two more counterfeit $100 bills were found that matched the previously found counterfeit money.
According to the warrant, Givens’ phone was taken during the interaction with officers and later at the jail an officer asked for Givens to unlock the phone. Givens allegedly took the phone and proceeded to smash it so it couldn’t be read.
Givens was charged with four counts of Criminal Simulation and Tampering with Evidence. His total bond is set at $20,000.
Ridley was charged with four counts of Criminal Simulation, Criminal Impersonation, Evading Arrest and Resisting Arrest. Total bond is set at $13,500.
Givens Ridley