An Austin man accused of passing counterfeit money pleaded not guilty in Mower County Court Thursday.

Drew Novak, 18, faces one count of uttering or possessing counterfeit currency, a felony. Novak was arrested Feb. 20 after officers identified him from video surveillance as the man who gave a fake $20 bill to a cashier at the Fourth Street NW Kwik Trip early Saturday, according to the court complaint.

Novak came to the store around 12:30 a.m. Feb. 18 to get change for a $20 bill, according to police reports. Novak received two $10 bills in return, according to the court complaint. Kwik Trip staff didn’t report the fake bill until about 6:15 a.m. Saturday. According to the court complaint, the employee noticed the bill was smaller than the others.

Novak has been interviewed about the counterfeit bill, part of a recent outbreak of fake currency in the area. According to the complaint, Novak told authorities he exchanged the bill for two $10 bills, as he owed someone $10. He also mentioned he received the bill from “someone,” but didn’t provide a name. Novak is being held in Mower County jail on $6,000 bail. If convicted, he could face as much as one year in jail and a $3,000 fine. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 1.

The Austin Area Chamber of Commerce sent an e-mail Friday afternoon, alerting the community and businesses that several $20 bills were discovered at local stores, too.

Of the four $20 bills found on Friday, each had one of two serial numbers: IA49588024C or IF77643033F.

The bills are slightly smaller than a genuine bill and the texture of the paper is slightly different, according to the Chamber. The bills are printed on poor-quality paper. The texture is smooth and feels more like typing paper than the safety paper used for currency.