Published: June 30, 2011
Updated: 1:49 p.m.

Police: Grandmother heads counterfeit ring

By SALVADOR HERNANDEZ
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LAGUNA BEACH A group of counterfeiters who hit businesses in Long Beach and Orange County cities was led by a 63-year-old grandmother, authorities said.

Investigators believe the woman, two adult children, and a 16-year-old grandchild printed small bills from their Santa Ana home, and then made small purchases in fast-food restaurants or family businesses for cash. The four relatives were taken into custody Wednesday after a clerk in Laguna Beach gas station noticed the fake cash, said Lt. Jason Kravetz of the Laguna Beach Police Department.

The clerk called officers at 10:45 p.m. after he ran after two men who tried to make a purchase with the counterfeit bills, Kravetz said. The two males ran out of the store when they were confronted by the clerk, who was able to get the license plate a 1996 Chevy Camaro.

Officers found the car on Pacific Coast Highway near West Street and found two adult women, a man, and a 16-year-old teenager inside.

While talking to the four passengers of the car, police noticed a bulge in the clothes of 33-year-old Tania Santoya, Kravetz said, and found a plastic folder with almost $5,000 in counterfeit currency. The cash was printed in small bills of mostly 5s, and 10s with a few 20s.

The bills appeared to be printed on a high-quality printer that made the bills look used.

Also inside the car was Roberto Jose Rodriguez, 33, Rosa Mojica, 63, both of Santa Ana. The identity of the 16-year-old was not released because he is a minor.

Rodriguez and Santoya are both believed to be the children of 63-year-old Mojica, who is suspected of being the ringleader of the group, Kravetz said. The 16-year-old boy is the child of another of Mojica's children.

Investigators have contacted Secret Service and were told federal officials have been seeing a rash of counterfeit bills in several Orange County cities and Long Beach.

Police believe the operation, led by Mojica, operated with a set pattern to trade the fake bills for legitimate cash.

The four are believed to have driven to several businesses and sent the teenager to make small purchases.

Officers also found several bills that were irregularly cut or could be quickly determined to be fake, Kravetz said. Those bills were separated from most of the counterfeit bills.

The real cash that had been received by the group was also placed in a separate compartment.

On Thursday morning, the Laguna Beach Police department served a search warrant of the family's Santa Ana home on Sail Street.

The four are currently in custody in Laguna Beach, Kravetz said. The three adults are currently being held on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of fraudulent items and counterfeiting.

The three adults have previous convictions of theft and burglary, Kravetz said, and all have an immigration hold because they are undocumented.

The 16-year-old is expected to be taken to Juvenile Hall Thursday.

Contact the writer: shernandez@ocregister.com or 949-454-7361

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