Man accused of using fake bills at South MS stores arrested in Alabama, police say 

A man accused of using fake bills at several South Mississippi businesses last year was arrested this month after police alleged he used an Alabama hotel room to produce counterfeit money.

Officers went to a Best Western hotel in Mobile at 11 a.m. Thursday because they suspected counterfeit money was being produced in an empty room, said Roderick Miles, a public affairs officer for the Mobile Police Department.

Officers were at the hotel at 600 W. I-65 Service Road S., when Steven Doukas returned to the room, police said.

Doukas, 45, was arrested and jailed in Mobile County on charges including organized retail theft and possession of a forged instrument, jail records show.

The charges in Mobile are at least the second time Doukas has been accused of crimes related to counterfeit money. Poplarville Police Chief Chad Dorn confirmed Monday that Doukas was arrested earlier this year for allegedly using counterfeit $100 bills at local businesses.

Dorn said police used surveillance footage and facial recognition technology to accuse Doukas of using counterfeit bills at a hardware store and two convenience stores in late 2023 and early 2024. Poplarville Police issued warrants for Doukas last year.

At the hardware store, Doukas allegedly used fake bills to buy fishing equipment, according to Dorn. Dorn said Doukas also used the bills to buy a cherry coke, orange drink, honey bun and five scratch off lottery tickets at a convenience store in Poplarville. The clerk at another convenience store where Doukas allegedly tried to use counterfeit bills identified the money as fake and confronted Doukas, Dorn said, but Doukas left the store before police arrived.

“He had an extensive history with doing this type of crime,” Dorn said.

Doukas bonded out of jail this year after his arrest in Poplarville and has not appeared for his court dates since, Dorn said.

Mobile Police said Doukas is listed in records with a Gulfport address.

This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM.