Man used fake money to buy fake drugs

A Johnson City man has been arrested after police said he used counterfeit money to purchase fake OxyContin pills from an undercover officer.

Unicoi County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 21-year-old Kyle Kochelek on Tuesday and charged him with criminal conspiracy with schedule II drugs, forgery and criminal simulation.



Investigator Frank Rogers said the officer met with several people at a mobile home park and arranged for Kochelek and another man to come to Unicoi to buy 76 OxyContin pills for $4,875.

Officers say it was “obviously bad money” with some bills printed on just one side. Authorities also tracked down the device believed used to make the counterfeit money.