Departing Port Gibson Mayor Amelda Arnold had a brush with the law at a Vicksburg casino last week and was escorted from the premises by Vicksburg police. She was not charged with wrongdoing and had an explanation after presenting a counterfeit travelers check, said Lt. Bobby Stewart of the police department.

Arnold, 53, finished second in a three-way contest for mayor of the city of 1,800, according to an unofficial tally of Democratic Primary votes. Fred Reeves, 60, who polled more than half the votes cast, will take office Jan. 7 unless affidavit or absentee ballots to be counted today change the result. No Republican or independent candidates sought the position.

A report not initially made public by police said Rainbow Casino staff called authorities after Arnold tried to cash a $500 American Express travelers check at 11:46 p.m. Thursday. In the routine verification process, the casino phoned American Express and was told by the company it was counterfeit, the police report said.

Stewart said he was not sure why the incident report was not made public. “It’s probably because there are no charges yet,” he said. “There was a report filed, and it is currently under investigation.”

Tuesday, Arnold said that after being told that the travelers check was counterfeit, she turned over a FedEx package to police that had five additional $500 Travelers Cheques in it. The mayor said she went to the casino to cash the checks she received anonymously. She thought the money was a campaign contribution and she was not planning to use it at the casino, she said.

“I was trying to get a check cashed. It was not for (gambling reasons) at all,” she said by phone. “The banks close at 1 p.m. on Thursday in Port Gibson.”

Although banks do close in Port Gibson on Thursday afternoons, other businesses in the city provide check-cashing services.

Arnold also said she wants to warn others of the scam of which she said she was a victim.

“I think it was a campaign ploy — that somebody was trying to set me up,” she said. “As soon as I found out (the checks) were wrong, I turned them in.”

Stewart confirmed police have had several reports of counterfeit travelers checks — all in the amount of $500 — showing up in Vicksburg.

“We’ve had a rash of these in the last few months. They’re all with the same company, same numbers and same amount,” he said. “They usually come in via mail and state that you won or were granted a shopping spree. It’s just a scam.”

According to the American Express Web site, the scam is one of many. The company’s travelers checks are not usually offered in denominations of $500 or greater, the site said. The site warns people who receive such checks to write the word “VOID” across them or call 800-525-7641.

When asked about the incident, reported anonymously to The Vicksburg Post, Police Chief Tommy Moffett confirmed that Arnold was “escorted from the premises” and not charged. The in-house felony incident report, Stewart said, is a compilation of all active felony cases that are issued to watch commanders and investigators.

He also said Arnold presented a paycheck to herself to be cashed at the casino. He said that check was good, but was unsure whether it was a paycheck issued by the City of Port Gibson.

Arnold is paid $40,000 annually as mayor, an amount she and her board increased from $30,000 at the beginning of her second term. Arnold also works as a manager at a Subway sandwich shop.

State law also requires the source and amount of all campaign contributions in amounts of $200 or more to be disclosed by candidates on periodic reporting forms that are public records. Listing contributions as “anonymous” is not allowed.