FAYETTE COUNTY — Two men are being held in the Fayette County Jail, charged in connection with a string of counterfeit bills being circulated in Vandalia recently.

Vandalia police arrested 39-year-old Sean E. Kessler, of Vandalia, Wednesday, on a pending charge of forgery. He was formally charged Thursday in Fayette County Court with Class 3 felony possession of less than 5-grams of methamphetamine and two misdemeanor counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. His bail has been set at $50,000.

Last week Vandalia police arrested 21-year-old Jeffrey L. Durbin, of Beecher City. He was initially charged May 7, with two misdemeanor counts of forgery, but on a prosecution motion those charges were dismissed later that same day. On Thursday Durbin was charged in Fayette County Court with two counts Class 3 felony forgery and his bail was set at $10,000. He posted $1,000 bond later and was released.

Police continue to investigate the counterfeit bills that had been reportedly used, or attempted to be used at five establishments in Vandalia.