Comic book scam nets 7-year sentence

CHICAGO, May 8 (UPI) -- A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for using a phony check to purchase a rare Spider-Man comic book, court officials said.

Scott Meherg, 28, of Naperville, Ill. pleaded guilty to buying a 1963 Spider-Man #2, the second book in the series, with a $980.99 forged bank check, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

Meherg was arrested last fall on a different deceptive-practices charge.

During his appearance in DuPage County court Thursday, prosecutors told Judge Peter Dockery that Meherg has had three previous convictions on deceptive practices and forgery charges.

In addition to the prison sentence, Dockery ordered Meherg to pay $980.99 in restitution since the first-edition comic book belonging to Graham Crackers Comics in Naperville has never been recovered.