Counterfeit bills bring prison for disbarred lawyer

CEDAR RAPIDS - A former police officer and disbarred lawyer, who an Iowa Supreme Court justice referred to as 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” will spend two years in federal prison for selling counterfeit money.

Brian Loren Stowe, 43, of Waverly, pleaded guilty in September to one count of dealing in counterfeit currency. He also was ordered to serve supervised release for three years following his prison time.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade said she wouldn't decrease that prison time, as requested by his lawyer, because there were many aggravating factors in this case. He not only was selling counterfeit money but also made the bills, using a printer, and had a 'formula” to change numbers.

Reade said Stowe also gave advice of how to pass off the bills to the undercover officer he unwittingly sold $900 of counterfeit money to for $250 in real bills in 2015.

'He told him (officer) to put the bills in the dryer with (gambling) chips to make them look older, and he told him to pass the bills in fast food places to teens, who are less likely to know they are counterfeit,” Reade said.

Reade also cited Stowe's previous convictions for forgery and drugs, trespassing, driving while suspended and failing to appear in court, adding he had been non-compliant in state court while under supervision.

Stowe was disbarred in 2013 after he was convicted of forgery and received a deferred judgment for possession of methamphetamine.

Reade said Stowe's main problems were his 'criminal thinking and drug abuse to the max.” He has a history of gambling and an alcohol and methamphetamine dependency. She said he was a high risk to be a repeat offender.

Stowe told the judge before sentencing that abusing substances in his 30s was the 'worst mistake in my life.” He is sorry for his actions and now intends to stay drug free. He has a life coach and is involved in 'online” support groups.

He said he was ready to face the consequences for his offenses.

John Lane, Stowe's lawyer, asked Reade to allow Stowe to self-surrender to the prison where he will serve his sentence.

Reade said she didn't trust Stowe. He will likely use drugs and alcohol now that his hearing was over but she will give him the chance. She asked probation officials to 'step up” his supervision and do more drug testing pending his prison term.

Stowe's disbarment documents recounted his troubled past that went from being a law firm partner to possessing 1.3 grams of cocaine while on a cruise ship vacation in Belize and then telling the Iowa Supreme Court's disciplinary board that he had been abducted, beaten, sexually abused and ransomed. He pleaded to possession.

Later, Stowe was charged with possession of meth and two more counts of forgery, court documents show. He received probation but violated his probation more than once in 2015.