Thread: Feds Bust Alleged O.C. Counterfeit Ring

http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_343212149.html

Dec 9, 2005 6:21 pm US/Pacific

Feds Bust Alleged O.C. Counterfeit Ring

(CBS) SANTA ANA, Calif. Federal officials arrested 10 people Friday suspected of operating a ring printing counterfeit American currency in Mexico and circulating it in Orange County and seized $75,000 in counterfeit $100 bills.

Agents had previously seized $475,000 in high-grade counterfeit bills as part of the same investigation into a group that allegedly passed off $7.5 million in the last year alone, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Keenan said.

The federal grand jury indicted 13 people in connection with their alleged distribution of the counterfeit $100 bills, manufactured by accomplices in Mexico.

Those arrested Friday include: Juan Jose Gomez, 33, Santa Ana and Leon, Mexico; Jaime Munoz, 28, of Corona; Michael Garrett Nichols, 38, of Costa Mesa; Jose Osvaldo Carrillo-Castellanos, 22, of Anaheim; and David Hibbard, 22, and Daniel Kressin, 22, both of Orange.

Others arrested Friday morning include Alfonso Avila-Macias, 30, of Santa Ana, who is accused of selling and attempting to sell $304,600 in counterfeit U.S. currency; Aaron Navarro, 22, of Santa Ana, alleged to have sold $1,900 in counterfeit currency; Marcy Jeanette Maldonado, 23, of Fullerton, charged with passing $1,400 in currency; and Jesus Garcia, 28, of Anaheim who allegedly sold $1,000 in phony money.

Others under indictment include Juan Pablo Manzo, 24, of Santa Ana, who is already in state custody, and Jose Carlos Gonzalez-Moreno, 30, of Santa Ana and Leon, who is still at large. Also at large is Johnny Ray Perez, 19, of Santa Ana, who allegedly sold $2,700 in counterfeit bills.

The indictment alleges the $100 bills were made in Mexico and brought into the United States by Gonzalez and Gomez. Munoz and Castellanos are accused of distributing the bills to the rest of the ring.

http://www.lawfuel.com

US Attorney reports six indictments filed against defendants involved in counterfeiting ring and contraband in Secret Service operation
PRESS RELEASE - PROSECUTIONS
Submitted: 5:50 PM, Saturday, December 10, 2005
US Attorney -

9 December - LAWFUEL - The Law News Network - Early this morning, Special Agents with the United States Secret Service arrested 10 people charged in connection with an international counterfeiting ring that manufactured bogus United States currency in Mexico and distributed the contraband in Orange County, California.

The agents also executed search warrants at three houses located in Santa Ana. Today's searches led to the seizure of approximately $75,000 in high-grade counterfeit $100 Federal Reserve Notes. Previously in the investigation, Secret Service agents seized more than $475,000 in counterfeit bills, all of which were manufactured at the same facility in Mexico.

According to the Secret Service, the counterfeiting ring is responsible for distributing approximately $7.5 million in counterfeit bills within the past year alone.

The Secret Service investigation has resulted in six indictments that name a total of 13 defendants who are accused of engaging in various acts of distributing the counterfeit $100 bills. A federal grand jury in Santa Ana returned the indictments on Wednesday. Below is a summary of the six indictments.

* The indictment that focuses on the operations of the counterfeiting ring charges eight people with conspiracy and various criminal acts in connection with the distribution of counterfeit $100 bills manufactured by accomplices in Mexico. The eight defendants are: Jose Carlos Gonzalez-Moreno, 30, of Santa Ana and Leon, Mexico; Juan Jose Gomez, 33, of Santa Ana and Leon, Mexico; Jaime Munoz, 28, of Corona; Juan Pablo Manzo, 24, of Santa Ana; Michael Garrett Nichols, 38, of Costa Mesa; Jose Osvaldo Carrillo-Castellanos, 22, of Anaheim; David Hibbard, 22, of Orange; and Daniel Kressin, 22, of Orange. All of the defendants were arrested, with the exception of Gonzalez, who is a fugitive, and Manzo, who will be transferred from state custody at a later date.

According to the indictment, the counterfeit $100 bills were manufactured by persons located in Mexico. The indictment alleges that Gonzalez and Gomez obtained the counterfeit bills from associates in Mexico and made various arrangements to bring the bills into the United States. Gonzalez, Gomez and Manzo allegedly traveled to Mexico periodically to bring the bogus currency into the United States. Once the counterfeit bills were brought into the United States, Gonzalez, Gomez, Munoz and Castellanos would distribute the bills to various sub-distributors, including defendants Hibbard and Kressin. The indictment further charges that Munoz and Castellanos personally used some of the counterfeit bills to make fraudulent purchases of various goods and services from commercial vendors and individuals in Orange County.

The defendants in this case face potential sentences ranging from 20 to 100 years, depending on the number of counts in which they are charged.

* Alfonso Avila-Macias, 30, of Santa Ana, was charged in a three-count indictment that alleges he sold and attempted to sell $304,600 in counterfeit United States currency. An analysis of the counterfeit bills by the Secret Service shows that the bills being distributed by Avila-Macias were manufactured by the Gonzalez-Gomez counterfeiting ring. Avila-Macias faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in federal prison and a fine of $750,000. Avila-Macias was arrested this morning.

* Aaron Navarro, 22, of Santa Ana, was charged in a two-count indictment that alleges he sold $1,900 in counterfeit United States currency. The Secret Service reports that the counterfeit bills being distributed by Navarro also were manufactured by the Gonzalez-Gomez counterfeiting ring. Navarro faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000. Navarro was arrested this morning.

* Johnny Ray Perez,19, of Santa Ana, was charged in a three-count indictment that alleges he sold $2,700 in counterfeit United States currency. The Secret Service reports that the counterfeit bills distributed by Perez were manufactured by the Gonzalez-Gomez counterfeiting ring. Perez faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in federal prison and a fine of $750,000. Perez is a fugitive.

* Marcy Jeanette Maldonado, 23, of Fullerton, was charged in a single-count indictment that alleges she possessed $1,400 in counterfeit United States currency. The Secret Service has determined that the counterfeit bills that Maldonado possessed and attempted to pass were manufactured by the Gonzalez-Gomez counterfeiting ring. Maldonado faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Maldonado was arrested this morning.

* Jesus Garcia (also known as "Miguel Gonzalez" and "Kenneth Lee Ibanez"), 28, of Anaheim, was charged in a single-count indictment that alleges he sold $1,000 in counterfeit United States currency. According to the Secret Service, Garcia was selling counterfeit bills that were manufactured by the Gonzalez-Gomez counterfeiting ring. Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Garcia was arrested this morning.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

All of the defendants taken into custody this morning are expected to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Santa Ana.

The cases announced today are the result of an investigation conducted by Special Agents from the Santa Ana office of the United States Secret Service.

Just more good folks trying to provide for their families no doubt.