A Lunenburg man accused of running a home-based counterfeiting operation last year finally made it to court for arraignment after being released from federal prison.

Edward “Eddie” Tillson, 39, pleaded not guilty in Essex Superior Court on Monday to the counterfeiting charge and was released by Judge Lisa A. Warren on conditions and $2,500 bail which had already been posted.

According to court documents, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, along with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF), executed a search warrant on Feb. 19, 202, looking for guns at Tillson’s residence located at 1984 West Lunenburg Road.

Essex Superior Court

Tillson is accused of creating counterfeit bills by bleaching one-dollar bills and reprinting them as 100-dollar bills.

Police said that during the search of Tillson’s residence they noticed pieces of a 100-dollar bill torn up on the floor in the kitchen. Police said they also found pieces of white paper in a bedroom that had photocopies of various US currency including $100, $50, and $20 bills.

But before he could be arraigned on the state counterfeiting charge, Tillson was arrested by federal authorities in New Hampshire and indicted by a grand jury for possessing an illegal sawed-off shotgun hidden in a secret compartment in his truck.

“Defendant knowingly received and possessed a firearm, that is, a New England Pardner 12 gauge shotgun, having a barrel of less than 18 inches and an overall length of less than 26 inches, not registered to him,” read the federal indictment.

The shotgun was located by New Hampshire State Police after troopers stopped Tillson’s Toyota Tacoma in Hill, N.H. at 2:47 a.m. on Dec. 24, 2020.

A search of the truck revealed two “hides” under the center console and cup holder areas where police say drugs were found.

“While searching under the hood, troopers located near the latch area a firearm, specifically, a loaded modified short-barrelled New England Firearm Pardner 12 gauge shotgun,” reads the complaint filed against Tillson.

Police said the barrel of the shotgun had been cut to 16.25 inches — which is below the minimum 18-inch requirement — and that the shotgun was not registered. Officials say Tillson was convicted and served his time at a federal prison in New Jersey before being sent back to New Hampshire on probation and Vermont for arraignment on the counterfeiting charge.

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